DISGUISED men who gatecrashed a Halloween bash kicked a guest about ten times after a row over a cigarette, a court heard yesterday.

Gethin Lear, 21, wore a Grim Reaper outfit while Nicholas Beddis, 20, donned a white jumpsuit, red wig and "scary clown mask" when they attacked Mark Groves at the house party last year, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

Lear threw a punch that floored Mr Groves before he was repeatedly kicked and stamped on in the kitchen of the house in Brynwern, Pontypool, a jury was told.

The pair were joined by Joshua Mellor, 21, who wore a red jumper and a black cape, the court heard.

Mr Groves told a jury: "The blows were coming that quick, I couldn't really do nothing."

He spat two teeth and a bone fragment onto a kitchen top after standing up with blood pouring from his mouth, the court heard.

Party host Sian Horseman told the jury: "Mark Groves was full of blood on the face. It was shocking. There was blood all over the walls."

Mr Groves told the court how he was given 20 stitches to the mouth, had a broken bone on the roof of his mouth and needed to have another tooth taken out.

He added he now had a plate and wore temporary false teeth.

The disguised trio had been at another Halloween party at the Labour in Vain pub opposite the house in the early hours of October 28, the court heard.

But they and a fourth defendant Ashley Jones, 20, later "gatecrashed" the house party, the court heard.

Mellor pestered Mr Groves for a cigarette before snatching one off him, causing it to drop to the floor, a jury was told.

Mr Groves' friend, Luke Jackson, tried to intervene but Mellor then shoved him into a kitchen cabinet, the jury heard.

Mr Jackson told the court how Jones tried to punch him but he slipped and fell to the floor and was kicked in the ribs.

Moments later, the group ran out of the property having left behind a Ripper outfit, clown wig and cape, it is said.

Mellor, of Hillside Drive, Pontypool, denies one count of common assault against Luke Jackson.

Jones, of Ridgeway, Pontypool, denies one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm against Mr Jackson.

Lear, of Penrith School Lane, Pontypool, Beddis, of Ferncroft Way, Pontypool, Jones and Mellor all deny wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm against Mark Groves.

Proceeding.