A 27-YEAR-OLD man who gatecrashed a Clitheroe party became violent when he was asked to leave.

Blackburn magistrates heard Simon Hartley swung a punch, and then grappled with another man, until they both fell on to a glass-topped coffee table causing it to smash.

The court heard the victim suffered cuts to his back and a cut to the back of his head during the incident.

Hartley, 27, of Trafford Gardens, Barrow, pleaded guilty to assaulting Adam Croasdale causing him actual bodily harm. He was remanded on bail for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said Mr Croasdale was ushering Hartley out of the party when, without warning, he swung a punch at him.

“He missed, but then grabbed Mr Croasdale and threw him onto the coffee table, landing on top of him,” said Miss Allan. “The aggrieved was bleeding heavily from the cuts to his back.”

Damian Pickup, defending, said his client accepted he had gatecrashed the party, but said he didn’t mean any harm.

“He accepts that when he was asked to leave his behaviour was totally unacceptable and he apologises for what he has done,” said Mr Pickup.