A 15-year feud ended in a drink-fuelled fracas in a town centre car park, a court was told.

The defendant, 52-year-old Martin Neil Kelly, finally snapped and punched his victim to the ground after years of acrimony between the two.

Prosecutor Barry Swain said Kelly, of West View in Peel had been out drinking in the town on July 17 last year, ending up in the Central pub.

The court heard the defendant left at around midnight and was caught short in the Market Place carpark. Spotting someone in the car park, the victim told her friend to hold her handbag for her and stay where she was, while she went across.

Mr Swain said the defendant felt a blow to the back of his head and, turning to face the victim, punched out three or four times in quick succession, felling her.

’She said whenever they met, he would verbally abuse her, but the defendant would say he was the one who was the target of her ridicule,’ he said.

’Whatever happened in the past led to the defendant striking out at the complainant.

’The defendant felt something hard hit him on the head in the car park. As a result he struck the complainant, causing her to fall down. It is a culmination of bitterness and hostility over a number of years and who is to blame is not clear.

’It’s a case of self defence that went too far.’

Mr Swain said according to the defendant’s wife there was a long history of hostility between the two parties. She said when the defendant arrived home he was distraught.

At the police station he told police the complainant had been bullying and abusing him for years. In the pub, he said she had approached him and was throwing obscenities.

’That incident was seen by an independent witness in the pub so it does have a ring of truth about it,’ Mr Swain said.

Kelly told police he had drunk about nine pints of lager and rated his intoxication as about five out of 10. The complainant said she had visited several pubs with a friend and had drunk eight or nine wine spritzers. She rated her intoxication at five or six out of 10.

Defending Kelly, Jim Travers said he was ashamed of what had happened, but he added: ’The victim passed her bag to her friend and told her to stay where she was, which suggests she was making a bee-line for the defendant and knew full well who it was.’

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said: ’It’s not something you would necessarily do if you were just going to have a quiet word with someone.’

Mr Travers said Kelly had been active in Peel in many charitable events including the Viking longboat festival.

Sentencing him, Mrs Hughes said: ’You felt cornered and threatened by the complainant and you took you self defence too far. You are a hard working and respected member of the community.’

He received 120 hours’ community service.