A MAN lost his temper and attacked a neighbour he believed was deliberately shining a laser pen into his children's bedroom.

Alan Davison angrily approached the 35-year-old neighbour, as he was smoking outside his house, on September 19 last year.

Durham Crown Court was told Davison asked what his neighbour was doing, grabbed him and pulled him partially through a hedge.

Steven Orange, prosecuting, said Davison also struck him several times, while shouting: "I'm going to kill you."

The victim's wife and daughter tried to intervene, but were unable to pull Davison away, while other child witnesses screamed in fear.

The injured man's face was left covered in blood, with several cuts and swellings.

He was detained in hospital and treated for a fractured eye socket and a broken nose.

Mr Orange said the victim was distressed and deeply troubled by the incident.

Davison was arrested and told police there had been difficulties between the families for some time.

He complained that a red laser light was shone into his house, on numerous occasions, but he had been drinking that night and things were confused in his mind.

Davison, 31, a plasterer, of Fern Crescent, Parkside, Seaham, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm.

Alison Howey, mitigating, said the two men's partners were previously firm friends, but fell out over a financial matter, although he tried to avoid becoming involved.

On the night of the incident, he was angry at the light being shone into his children's bedroom, preventing them sleeping.

When he looked out, he saw the neighbour smoking and thought the cigarette was a laser pen.

"We have no proof of any of this, and it may be that the pen was being shone by children who ran off. We'll just never know, " she said.

Ms Howey added that the injured man's family left the street and live elsewhere in Seaham.

Imposing a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, Recorder David Gordon ordered Davison to perform 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £750 compensation to the victim, plus £270 costs.