A Carmarthenshire man has described how he fears for his life after being attacked by a man wielding a three foot copper pipe.

Ryan Lief and Kai Mayes were digging trenches at Marchoglwyn Fawr in Llanfynydd, near Llandeilo, when Ra Rawle appeared alongside them.

They exchanged greetings and Rawle walked away.

But this week Swansea Crown Court heard that 20 minutes later Rawle returned holding a copper pipe that was between two to three feet in length with a curved end.

With glazed eyes and appearing to be under the influence of drugs, he hit Mr Lief across the head with his bar, claiming he was going to kill him. He then attempted to hit Mr Mayes, but missed.

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Mr Lief picked up a fence post to defend himself and hit Rawle four times to the shin. At this point Rawle, 40, began walking away but continued shouting at the two men.

Mr Lief and Mr Mayes immediately ran for their safety and contacted the police. Rawle was subsequently arrested, cautioned and taken to Ammanford Police Station but when interviewed, he gave no comment.

In a witness statement that was read out to the court, Mr Lief said the incident had left him feeling very anxious and scared.

“I’m scared not just for my own safety but for my family’s too," read the statement.

"I have two children who live with me and I’m worried that Ra will turn up at my address again and attack me for no reason.

"The attack was completely unprovoked and has left me shaken up. I don’t know why to this day he attacked me and I’m worried it could happen again.”

Rawle, who gave his address as Hillersland, Coleford, Gloucester appeared in court for sentence after previously admitting charges of assault causing actual bodily harm, affray and possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.

His solicitor, Quentin Hunt, told the court in mitigation that he had ‘psychological issues that need to be addressed’.

Judge Paul Thomas sentenced Rawle to 14 months in prison which are suspended for 18 months.

"You embarked on a bizarre episode where you approached a couple of men working on some sort of trench on a hippy commune and hit one of those men for no apparent reason with a bar," he said.

Rawle must also take part in a thinking skills programme, 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 200 hours unpaid work.

He has been excluded for a period of three years from visiting or entering Marchoglwyn Fawr, Llanfynydd, Carmarthen.