A shoe was thrown when a Hakin woman found her ex wearing headphones under a duvet while looking after three young children.

Garry Elston, of Liam Mellows Park, Clonard, Co Wexford, appeared at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Wednesday, February 19, and pleaded guilty to assault by beating.

Vaughan Pritchard-Jones, prosecuting, said Elston’s relationship with the complainant ended in August.

He was looking after the children in Hakin on October 12, and she returned to find him under a duvet on the sofa.

Elston, 29, was found to be listening to music on his headphones when she pulled the duvet off his head and she became annoyed that the three young children were unattended.

Mr Pritchard-Jones said: “She got into an argument with him, saying that he was sitting on the settee not paying attention to the children, and could not see or hear them.”

Elston then threw his shoe at his ex-partner, catching her on the arm.

Mr Pritchard-Jones said: “The crown says this incident was the tip of the iceberg. There have been a lot of problems between the couple in the past.”

The court heard that Elston was now living in Ireland.

Mike Kelleher, defending, said: “It was an unfortunate incident. The police were called, they went to the house and Mr Elston was still there, everything was fine. The children were playing hide and seek, there was no sense of disturbance at all.”

Mr Kelleher added that no injury was visible, adding that Elston was previously of clean character.

“He accepted that he threw the shoe in anger, he was not sure if it hit her.”

The bench heard Elston had problems with substances and anger management which he was addressing.

Magistrates fined Elston £40 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £32 surcharge.

A restraining order was imposed prohibiting from contacting the complainant or loitering within 100 metres of her home.