A DISPUTE between former Delabole neighbours ended with one man's head in a bloody mess and the other accused of assaulting him.
Kenneth Gledhill, of The Sidings, Pengelly, is accused of attacking Henry Lejnieks in the street outside his home by punching and kicking him and banging his head against the pavement.
The 41-year-old, who is also known as Scouser Kenny, went on trial at Truro Crown Court on Monday.
Iain White, for the prosecution, said bad feeling between the pair dated back to 2009 when they had lived next door to each other at The Sidings.
Mr White said Mr Lejnieks had complained about Gledhill to the housing association before deciding to move away from the area.
In 2011 Mr Lejnieks decided to move back to the village to be closer to his grandchildren.
On the day he moved into his new house, on October 18, he went to see Gledhill.
Giving evidence, he told the jury that his intention was to tell him he did not want any more problems and to clear the air.
Mr White said Gledhill "completely overreacted" to the situation and attacked his former neighbour.
He said: "Mr Lejnieks went up to Mr Gledhill and, as he did so, Mr Gledhill firstly kicked Mr Lejnieks in the midriff, knocking him to the ground, and, while he stood over him, he then repeatedly punched him to the head and, thirdly, he was seen to push his head down on to the concrete as if rubbing his nose in it.
"Mr Lejnieks also believed that his head was stamped on. That attack left him bloody and battered and barely able to get to his feet."
The jury was shown pictures of Mr Lejnieks which showed his bloody and severely swollen face.
He was taken to hospital with cuts and bruises.
Gledhill, who denies assault occasioning actual bodily harm, was arrested that day.
He told police that Mr Lejnieks had come running at him with his arms swinging like an idiot.
When asked about banging his head on the pavement, he said he was only holding the man down to keep him at arm's length.
When cross-examining Mr Lejnieks, Llewellyn Sellick, defending, put it to the alleged victim that he had been drunk and aggressive when he went looking for Gledhill.
Mr Lejnieks disagreed.
Mr Sellick said: "Then, completely of your own accord, not held in any way by Mr Gledhill, you bang your own face on the pavement.
"You did that three times, maybe four, saying 'I want you to go down, look at the state of me'."
Mr Lejnieks said the description of events was untrue.
The trial continues.