IN A drink-fuelled rage a man allegedly attacked his girlfriend and her brother, threatening them with a bottle of Prosecco, a court has heard.

Richard Mead, 24, had been drinking with friends at the King Charles pub, in Kings Worthy, when he, girlfriend Sophie Dickinson and friends went back to her house in Maple Drive on June 21, 2019.

Before leaving the pub Mead, of Roundhuts Rise, Winnall, bought two bottles of Prosecco, with the plan that they would be shared amongst the group.

Kaj Scarsbrook, prosecuting, said: “It seemed that he wanted to carry on drinking while Miss Dickinson and others were content to slow down and stop.”

A trial at Winchester Crown Court was told that Mead became “agitated” and started swearing. He tried to get into his car, but his girlfriend and friend stood in the way.

Giving evidence, Miss Dickinson said: “He just wanted to leave so he got up out of the driver’s seat and he pushed me to the floor. Rich was able to shut the car door and reversed very quickly off our drive.”

Mead returned later after his mum had found him. Miss Dickinson said that as she collected her belongings from his car she took his keys.

“He just kept asking where his keys are. He walked towards me and I remember him grabbing me,” she said.

“I fell to the floor. He was trying to get to my bag where the keys were. I just remember that he was on top of me.”

The court was told that Mead walked back to his car and got out a bottle of Prosecco and “he just started swinging it around”.

During the incident, Miss Dickinson’s brother Ethan said he was punched by Mead and to defend himself Mr Dickinson picked up a golf club from his house.

Giving evidence, he said: “Once I saw him with the bottle I immediately got fearful of my life and I ran down my driveway, I could her my sister screaming behind me, in my mind it felt like he was attacking her with the bottle. As soon as I saw the bottle it felt like he could kill me with that.” Mr Dickinson said that Mead swung the bottle at him and he “swung the golf club back at him”.

Asked why he picked up the golf club, Mr Dickinson said: “I knew I that wouldn’t stand a chance against him. I didn’t do well when he was just using his fists.”

Mr Dickinson hit Mead three times with the golf club and as a result of the blows Mead suffered deep lacerations to his head. The court was told that Mr Dickinson was arrested but released without charge, once, Mr Scarsbrook said: “It became clear that Mr Mead acted as the aggressor that night”. Both siblings were also injured in the incident.

In defence, Rose Burns said that Mead was acting in self defence from Mr Dickinson, who she said hit her client when he was on the floor without the bottle. She added: “You knew what you were doing each time you hit him, you must have seen the massive loss of blood.”

Mead denies two charges of actual bodily harm and affray.

The trial continues.