A pub pool player has been left with permanent injuries after being viciously attacked by his tournament rivals.

Sean Taylor was left with permanent eye damage after being attacked following a pool tournament at the Gilfach pub in Mydroilyn near Lampeter in December 2022.

Adam Allen, 41, of Penybont and Pamela Makinson, 43, of Yr Ysgubor Werdd, appeared before Swansea Crown Court last week after previously pleading guilty to affray.

Caitlin Brazel, prosecting, told the court that during a pool match, Sean Turner, who is a member of the defendants’ family, was subjected to "heckling" by opposition players including couple Adam Allen and Pamela Makinson, which started in a light-hearted manner but descended into name calling, including a f****** vegan and ginger c***.

The court heard that after "some small celebrations" members of the winning team left the pub and headed for their cars but a scuffle developed in the car park, before an ‘unprovoked attack on Mr Turner, which led to him being knocked to the ground with his jacket pulled over his head before being punched and kicked.

The court heard Mr Turner has been left with permanently impaired vision as a result of the attack.

In an impact statement read to the court by Ms Brazel, the victim said as well as the life-long impairment of his vision he was no longer the same outgoing and sociable person he used to be, and he said he was receiving counselling for anxiety.

Mr Turner also said he had initially been named by some as an aggressor in the incident which had impacted his reputation locally, something which was important as he was self-employed.

The court heard Dyfed-Powys Police had not provided an explanation for the delay in the case.

Judge Paul Thomas KC said on the day in question "a family quarrel got massively and ridiculously out of hand" and led to "quite disgraceful drunken behaviour".

He said everyone else involved in the incident ought to be "thoroughly ashamed" of themselves for their roles in what had been an "ugly episode".

Addressing the defendants in the dock the judge said: "You are both middle aged - you are not drunken teenagers anymore and you ought to know better."

The judge noted that as a result of what had happened at the pool tournament "the family has been fractured - possibly beyond redemption".

Judge Thomas said the prosecution's decision - which he said he was not criticising - to charge affray rather than assault made it a difficult case to sentence, and said it was not possible to attribute the injuries suffered by the vicitm to the defendants.

The defendants were each sentenced to 16 months in prison suspended for 18 months. Allen was also ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work in the community and Makinson was fined £300

The defendants were made the subject of a four-year restraining order banning them from contacting their victim.