A witness in an affray trial disobeyed a judge's order not to talk to his father during a lunch break at Worcester Crown Court.

Amanda Smith gave evidence that she saw father and son talking near the court entrance when she went out for a cigarette.

Prosecutor David Iles conceded that Jason Dean had breached an order given by Judge Anthony King because Mr Dean was midway through his evidence and his father Alan Dean was also a prosecution witness.

The jury heard how the 53-year-old father lost two teeth when the Dean family complained about midnight noise in Orchid Court, Malvern.

It is alleged that he and his son were attacked with fists, kicks and a weapon during a spell of "gratuitous violence" by three Malvern men.

Darren Smith, aged 21, of Kipling Close, Simon Box, aged 29, of Ford Close, and Martin Boshell, also 29, of Bluebell Close, deny affray.

Mr Iles said it was the Crown's case that the trio had originally intended to quiz Scott Willis, a resident in the same block of flats, about a claim that he was having an affair with Smith's girlfriend.

But when Mr Willis refused to let them in and called police, kicks were rained on his door which disturbed the Deans.

Mr Iles said the trio were fired up on alcohol. Anyone at the scene on September 2 last year would have feared for their own safety.

Giving evidence for the defence, Miss Smith, Boshell's fiancee, described how she overheard a conversation taking place between the Deans outside the court.

She claimed Alan Dean told his son to "make sure you say something about weapons". She reported it to a legal adviser.

Miss Smith said that from conversations she had with Boshell about the incident, it did not look as if the trio began the trouble.

All the defendants claim they acted in self defence and admit they threw punches.

Box insisted that Mr Dean senior armed himself with a screwdriver or knife.

But the prosecutor ruled out "justifiable violence" and said the Deans became the wrong targets after Mr Willis thwarted the trio's plan to settle old scores.

The ferocity of the violence left a large patch of blood on one of the flat's walls.

The trial continues.