STUNNED shoppers in Ammanford’s Tesco looked on in disbelief as a customer attacked a security guard he suspected of following him and his family around the shop, a court heard.

Kenneth May, of Fforestfach in Tycroes, assaulted Tesco worker Chris Watkins after accusing him of spying on his family throughout their visit to the store.

Carmarthen magistrates heard that May, his fiancee Theresa Costa and his teenage son had arrived at the store around 3pm on January 18.

But within minutes of their arrival, the 47-year-old had become involved in a heated argument with Mr Watkins after accusing him of following them around.

Prosecutor Peter Lloyd told the court that the security guard was patrolling the store when he heard May swear at him as he passed the family.

“Mr Watkins told him there was no need for him to use that sort of language but Mr May then accused him of watching him from the moment he had entered the store,” he said.

As the row became more heated, staff called duty manager Natalie Daniel to the scene and, despite trying to calm May down, he was eventually asked to leave the store and told he was banned.

But magistrates heard that, instead of leaving the area, he stayed outside the store before taking his coat off and charging towards Mr Watkins, who was now keeping watch at the entrance.

“Mr Watkins recalls the defendant charging towards him and grabbing his wrists and, as he broke free, the defendant grabbed him by the throat and they fell into the magazine racks,” said Mr Lloyd.

May, a goldsmith, then fled the scene but was caught by police as he continued his shopping in the town’s Co-op store.

He told the court that Mr Watkins had been staring at them since they had arrived and had felt unnerved as he seemed to be watching them throughout their shop.

He added that he returned to the store to speak face-to-face with Mr Watkins to establish what the issue was, but had only got involved in a physical confrontation when the security guard raised his fists.

However, during their evidence, both Miss Costa and May’s son said Mr Watkins had only raised his hands to defend himself.

Magistrates found May guilty of one charge of assault by beating and fined him £220 with £465 costs.