A MAN who broke his victim’s cheekbone after bursting into a house shouting “Gwent Police!” has been spared prison.

Luke Giles went to a home in Tredegar in the early of the morning to buy drugs when he hit Karl Yates, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

In sentencing the defendant, Judge David Wynn Morgan said the circumstances of the case remained “confusing”.

He told Giles: “In the early hours of the morning, you went to this address with two others to buy drugs.

“For reasons that remain unclear, you became involved in an altercation. You struck the victim with a forceful blow that did considerable damage to his face.”

The court was told that Giles had already served the equivalent of a six-month prison sentence after he was remanded in custody and was convicted following a trial.

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The 26-year-old was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm to Mr Yates but cleared of aggravated burglary and wounding with intent.

The jury heard that the victim, from Blackwood, was at his sister’s home when he was attacked on September 27, 2018.

During Giles’ trial, Andrew Kendall, prosecuting, told the jury Mr Yates had been sitting in the living room with a can of beer before the violence erupted.

He said that “two men burst through the front door, shouting ‘Gwent Police’” and began demanding money.

Mr Kendall added: “Mr Yates attempted to try to reason with the men, saying something along the lines of, ‘Come on now boys perhaps we can sort something out’.

“But the next thing he knew, he’d been struck across the face by Luke Giles.

“That blow caused Mr Yates to fall to the floor and lose consciousness.”

The jury cleared two other men – Alun John, aged 31, of Heol Nant Caiach, Treharris, Merthyr Tydfil and Peter O’Brien, aged 35, of Ettington Road, Liverpool – of wounding with intent, wounding and aggravated burglary.

Mr O’Brien was also found not guilty of witness intimidation.

Timothy Evans, mitigating for Giles, said his client was hoping to overcome his substance abuse and added: “He wants to get on with his life.”

Judge Wynn Morgan sentenced the defendant, of Pant Road, Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, to an 18-month community order and a 20-day rehabilitation and activity requirement to address alcohol and drug misuse.

He must also pay a victim surcharge.