A MAN who grabbed a boy by the throat and punched him in a busy restaurant told police he did so because he had been provoked.

Ellis Seivwright launched the attack on the 15-year-old when he lost his temper after he was allegedly racially abused by him.

Horrified staff and customers tried to break up the “ugly” violence at Valentine’s on Chepstow Road in Newport.

One of them was also hit by the 25-year-old Seivwright during that tussle.

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Emily Jermin, prosecuting, played CCTV footage of the incidents to Judge Paul Hobson.

Newport Crown Court heard that Seivwright committed the offences not long after being released from prison.

He is a third-strike class A drug dealer who was jailed for five-and-a-half years in 2021 for supplying crack cocaine in Newport.

The defendant, of Herbert Walk, Newport pleaded guilty to affray, common assault and criminal damage.

The owner of Valentine’s claims that more than £6,000 worth of damage was caused during the incident on the night of Thursday, April 25.

Seivwright has eight previous convictions for 16 offences but none for violence.

Nigel Fryer representing him said his client had been turning his life around after his release and had found a job paying £400 to £500 a week.

The defendant had gone to Valentine’s with colleagues after finishing work.

His barrister added: “He understands that he quite simply should have dealt with matters differently.

“The trigger was some very unpleasant use of language which got the better of him and provoked his anger.

“This was an ugly incident and he recognises that.

“He is deeply sorry and frankly disappointed in himself that he has jeopardised all the good progress he had made since his release from his 2021 sentence.”

The court heard that Seivwright had been recalled to prison as a result of these offences and is due to serve the remainder of his sentence in full.

Judge Hobson told the defendant: “This was serious and sustained violence on your part.”

Seivwright was jailed for 10 months which will be served on top of the sentence he was recalled for.