Family celebrations turned sour when a Pembroke Dock man assaulted his wife.

Mickey Probert, of Wavell Crescent, pleaded guilty to assault when he appeared at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Wednesday, March 6.

Vaughan Pritchard-Jones, prosecuting, said Probert, 29, returned to the family home at 9pm after attending a christening on January 26.

The court heard that there was an argument when Probert asked his wife to ring the pub because he had left a coat there. He then grabbed her phone and threw it to the floor.

Mr Pritchard-Jones said: “The argument continued. He put his hands up to her neck area and pushed her backwards onto the bed.

“She was held down for a short time which caused redness. She struggled against being restrained and kicked him.”

Probert left when his wife of eight years stated she was going to call the police, and officers found him in the local rugby club.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Probert’s wife said: “It makes me feel scared about how he can be when he has been drinking.”

The bench heard that Probert was in breach of a conditional discharge imposed for a previous similar offence.

Probation officer Mark Brosnan said Probert had consumed eight or nine pints of lager during the family celebration on the day in question.

He added that Probert accepted pushing his wife onto the bed, but could not remember grabbing her throat.

The court heard that Probert had been using alcohol to ‘block out bad memories’, but had not had a drink for a few weeks.

Mr Brosnan said: “This incident resulted in him and his wife becoming separated, and he is technically homeless.”

Probert was sentenced to a two-year community order with a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement and 250 hours of unpaid work.

He was ordered to pay £120 compensation, £85 costs and an £85 surcharge.

Magistrates imposed a restraining order prohibiting Probert from contacting the victim.