A 46-year-old man who attempted to hit another man over the head with a paving slab was himself hit on the head with a piece of the stone.

Blackburn magistrates heard Lee Bibby claimed the victim had been the first to pick up the slab but that was rebutted by the prosecutor Catherine Allan who said the aggrieved was an innocent victim of an unprovoked attack.

Bibby, of Stanley Street, Accrington, pleaded guilty to assaulting Andrew Taylor. The case was adjourned for a hearing to establish the facts of the incident.

Miss Allan said Mr Taylor was at home at about 6pm and his children were playing outside. The door was propped open with a paving slab.

“He went to the door to check on his children and came face to face with the defendant,” said Miss Allan. “He was drunk and said he had had a motorbike stolen and one of his friend’s had killed himself.”

She said Bibby pinned Mr Taylor against the wall.

“He then ran over, picked up the slab and tried to hit Mr Taylor over the head with it. When he saw a piece of the broken slab he picked it up and hit Bibby over the head,” said Miss Allan.

When police were investigating they found a cannabis production unit at Bibby’s home where the electricity meter had been bypassed.

Bibby pleaded guilty to assault, abstracting electricity and producing cannabis. The case was adjourned until September 30.