A DISPUTE over a £300 debt led to a man pushing his cousin to the ground.

Anthony William Dallow, 29, was ordered to pay Elyiot Webb £100 in compensation following the incident.

Dallow of Alexandra Avenue, College Green, Hereford pleaded guilty to assault by beating at Hereford Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Owen Beale, prosecuting, said that the incident happened at 1pm on January 23 outside the Co-operative in Hereford.

"The victim is 10 years younger than the defendant and the incident followed a long running dispute," said Mr Beale.

"The defendant was saying that Mr Webb owed him £300 which led to the victim trying to avoid him.

"A chance meeting between the two led to a verbal altercation and the defendant pushed Mr Webb back resulting in him hitting his head on the footpath."

"The victim told police he had a 1.5 inch lump on the back of his head as a result of the incident and described having a massive head ache."

An off-duty police officer was in the Co-operative at the time and came out to the aftermath of the incident with Mr Webb on the floor and Dallow standing over him.

Dallow told police he was trained in martial arts and swept Mr Webb onto the floor.

He told police that if he wanted to hurt the victim he could have done.

Marilena Di Vitantonio, mitigating, said that Mr Webb had got himself into debt and Dallow had lent him the money.

"Ten months passed and nothing was paid," said Ms Di Vitantonio.

"He acted the way he did out of complete frustration at trying to get the money back. "Mr Webb was being cocky and telling the defendant that he was not going to get the money back.

"Dallow says that he is currently seeking assistance from the mental health team for his personality disorder.

"He is now medically treated for his impulse behaviour and anger issues. He accepts he shouldn't have done what he did."

Magistrates ordered Dallow to pay £100 compensation to Mr Webb, £135 costs, a £40 fine and £30 victim surcharge.

He was also handed a restraining order for six months during which he cannot contact Mr Webb by any means.