A MAN who punched and kicked his father in the head following an argument over a tent must complete 60 hours of unpaid work.

Matthew Cope, aged 19, of Berkeley Close, Whittington, near Worcester, admitted assaulting Andrew Fisher by beating him when he appeared before Worcester magistrates.

Samantha Webley, prosecuting, said Cope left the family home on the evening of Saturday, February 25, and came home at 1.30am the next day.

Mrs Webley said: “He was woken up by Mr Cope banging on the door. He came home to get a quilt and said he was going to sleep out and could he have a tent. He walked into the lounge where his mother was asleep and his father told him he couldn’t have one.

“Mr Cope then started swearing and shouting. He started walking out of the house but turned around in the doorway and punched his father to the forehead.” Mrs Webley said Cope then turned around and kicked Mr Fisher to the forehead and walked out of the house.

“The injured party was left with no marks on him but said it hurt at the time.”

Mark Turnbull, defending, said Cope had a difficult relationship with his father. Mr Turnbull said: “This is at the root of this problem. He accepts in the main what his father says. He went home to ask to borrow a tent and there’s an argument between them. He feels his father has another go at him and he is not wanted there.” Mr Turnbull said Cope was about to leave the house but the two men “seem to end up grappling” and he received a blow himself to the chin. “He doesn’t recall swearing at his father,” said Mr Turnbull.

“Leading up to this he had two years of being employed.

“He had managed to find himself a job. However, he is of a disposition where he finds sometimes that life gets on top of him.”

Cope was made the subject of a 12-month community order and ordered to pay £85 costs.