A HALLOWE'EN reveller attacked a party guest when he came towards him in an aggressive way, a court heard.

Joshua Miller, 21, wore a black cape as he hit Mark Groves in the left eye at the Hallowe'en bash last year, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

Miller acknowledged throwing a punch at Mr Groves but only because he had approached him in an aggressive manner and feared he would be punched himself, the court heard yesterday [August 23].

Moment earlier, two of his friends had left the party and Mr Groves had told him: "Now that they have gone you do as we say", the court heard.

Mr Groves ended up on the floor with three broken teeth and a damaged palate, the court was told.

But Miller denied that he or any of his friends had kicked Mr Groves.

Instead, he claimed that his friend Gethin Lear, 21, had tried to intervene during the altercation but Mr Groves had punched him in the face.

Lear, who wore a Grim Reaper outfit, had then retaliated and floored him with a single punch in the kitchen of the house in Brynwern, Pontypool, on October 28, the court heard.

Mellor added that another pal Ashley Jones, 20, had also tried to intervene after he first punched Mr Groves, telling him: "That's enough."

But he told a jury that Mr Groves' friend, Luke Jackson, had then put his hand on Jones' shoulder and the pair had ended up tussling on the floor.

Miller also denied gatecrashing the party saying he had been invited by guests at the Labour in Vain pub across the road earlier that evening.

He said that he, Lear, Jones and a fourth defendant, Nicholas Beddis, 20, who wore a scary clown outfit, had left the house without realising what injuries Mr Groves had.

He told the jury: "If I knew what injuries they were I wouldn't have run out. I would have rung the ambulance myself."

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.