A DEAF man who says he has been victimised by members of the public lashed out and assaulted a Rhayader resident, while admitting threatening another on two separate occasions.

John Edward Holloway, 50, admitted threatening behaviour towards Samantha Davies in November last year, as well as on a second occasion in January this year, when he appeared at Llandrindod Wells Magistrates’ Court last week.

At the Wednesday, June 22 hearing, Holloway also admitted assaulting Barrie Denham in Rhayader on November 20, 2021, the same day as the initial charge in relation to Ms Davies occurred. A fourth charge of resisting arrest was withdrawn.

Prosecutor Stephen Davies said the initial incident had arisen when Holloway, of Dark Lane, Rhayader, had come out of his garden to speak to Ms Davies and began shouting at her as she spoke to Mr Denham.

"She was on the opposite side of road to where Mr Holloway lived," Mr Davies said. "Mr Holloway came out into his garden and walked towards Ms Davies, shouting ‘you, you, you’ and pointing at her.

“He said ‘You’ve been walking along here now for five months, you don’t walk along here anymore, I’ll do something about it’. Ms Davies described him as raging and said he was swearing. He accused her of being friends with a neighbour he had ongoing problems with.

“His finger was pointing, a few inches from her face, and it left her shaken up. Due to the behaviour of Mr Holloway, Mr Denham decided to stand in between the two.

“Mr Holloway then punched Mr Denham in the chest and continued to shout at him. As he was on the phone to police Mr Holloway ran over to him and punched him again in the chest, with some of the melee caught on the 999 call.”

Mr Davies said Holloway was then arrested, telling police that he (Mr Denham) “came at me”.

He also said there was a further incident involving Holloway and Ms Davies on January 26 this year, in which she was with her friend at the Crown Inn, with her back to the window.

“Mr Holloway approached and banged on the window, shouting ‘stop laughing at me'," he said. "She said he looked really mad and she was really scared. He paced back and forth before leaving.”

Mr Davies said there were no previous matters against the defendant and that Ms Davies had applied for a restraining order against him.

Paul Lewis, representing Holloway, said his client, who has no previous convictions, accepted his guilt.

“The defendant is profoundly deaf and has a history of being victimised by members of the public," he said.

“He has agreed to plead on the full facts but it is important his perception, rightly or wrongly, was that he had been subject to a low level form of harassment.

“He believed the people outside his house were gossiping and he believed insults were directed at him. He reacted badly, he did not take time to think about his actions before confronting the lady.

“He accepted Barrie Denham had no agenda other than to calm matters down. My client accepts he lashed out. He regrets the matter wholeheartedly.”

Of the January incident, Mr Lewis said Holloway believed he was being laughed at.

For the assault on Mr Denham and two incidents in relation to Ms Davies, magistrates fined Holloway £120 for each. He must also pay £85 costs and a £36 surcharge, as well as £50 compensation to Ms Davies.

They also made a restraining order to last for six months.