A ‘DRUNK and lairy’ man punched a teenager in the face outside a Hereford pub.

Verdun Williams appeared for sentencing on May 4 after previously entering a guilty plea to magistrates in Hereford.

The victim, who is in his early teens, had been walking towards Hogarths in Hereford’s Commercial Road at 6pm on December 14 when the attack happened, prosecutor Mark Hambling said at his plea hearing.

Williams was seen on CCTV leaving Hogarths and approaching the teenager, getting extremely close to him and appearing to talk with him for some 30 seconds before punching the victim in the face and telling him that if he was big enough to give abuse, then he was big enough to take a punch.

In a statement, the victim said he knew and felt intimidated by Williams, who he said had been drunk and lairy, but did not give an explanation as to why he had been punched.

In interview with police, Williams was described as flippant and showed little remorse.

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Marilena Di Vitantonio, for Williams, said the 59-year-old had entered a guilty plea at the first opportunity.

“It appears that the parties know each other,” she said.

“He believed the victim had been spreading rumours and took the opportunity to address that. He says he did not realise he was so young, but does accept it and accepted it in interview.”

Williams, of St Guthlac Street, Hereford, was handed a 12-month community order and must pay costs of £150 and a £95 victim surcharge.