A PETULANT Felixstowe man who kicked an arcade assistant after a fruit machine failed to pay his £5 winnings will be sentenced in three weeks.Richard Moore, 24, of Grange Road, Felixstowe, pleaded guilty to a charge of assault by beating on Karen MacNamara.

A PETULANT Felixstowe man who kicked an arcade assistant after a fruit machine failed to pay his £5 winnings will be sentenced in three weeks.

Richard Moore, 24, of Grange Road, Felixstowe, pleaded guilty to a charge of assault by beating on Karen MacNamara.

Godfried Duah, prosecuting, told South East Suffolk Magistrates Court that Moore had been in the Felixstowe Pier Amusements at 5.30pm on August 27.

Mr Duah said: "Moore confronted one of the staff, wanting to be given the money he was owed after a machine had failed to give him the money.

"He kicked the victim in the right shin causing a injury.

"There are aggravating features. The offence was committed in a public place, it was on a person who was carrying out her duties and it was an unprovoked attack."

Duah added that Moore had been last convicted on September 10 for a drunken disorderly charge.

Simon Travis, mitigating said: "Mr Moore completely admits what he did and he has had a number of appearances before the court relating to drinking.

"He had been drinking regularly that day and he drinks and his personality changes. He is a likeable chap when not drinking but he becomes a completely different character when drunk.

"The machine owed him money but it was a petulant, stupid thing to do and he kicked out at her.

"He has recognised that he has a problem and wants to sort himself out.

"He has blackouts and when that happens he does not know where he is."

Bench chairman John Wooley ordered Moore to come back to court in three weeks so a pre-sentence report can be prepared.

Mr Wooley told Moore: "It causes us a lot of concern, when we read through your previous convictions, the amount of alcohol related incidents.

"We find the offence is serious enough for a community penalty. Drinking is not an excuse for violence."

Moore was released on conditional bail to return to court for sentencing on October 24.

After the case Ms Macnamara, 39, said: "At the end of the day you go to work to do you job and come home and you don't expect to be assaulted at work. That's why I wanted to press charges.

"Obviously in that sort of job you do suffer a lot of verbal abuse but when it comes to physical abuse the courts should deal with it accordingly. Violence against anyone, male or female, should not be tolerated.

"I don't let it affect me. You have to get on with your job."