WILTSHIRE TIMES EXCLUSIVE: A TOM Jones hit record sparked a huge pub brawl as a karaoke contest descended into drunken violence.

Father and daughter John and Rebecca Wigmore drunkenly attacked three women in a Trowbridge pub during a brawl ignited by the 1960s number one tune The Green, Green Grass Of Home.

After a two-day trial before magistrates in Trowbridge this week, Mr Wigmore (pictured), 48, of Heathershaw, Trowbridge, was found guilty of common assault on three women in The Ship Inn on Frome Road.

His 22-year-old daughter, of Castle View, Westbury, was found guilty of assaulting one woman.

Magistrates were told about the catalogue of drunken violence at the pub karaoke night in June, during which Mr Wigmore punched 42-year-old Dawn Curtis in the eye before grabbing her friend, Rosalind Bryant, 36, by the throat and pinning her against a wall.

Egged on by his daughter, Rebecca, who slapped and pulled the hair of a third woman, Antonia Beaven, Mr Wigmore threatened to attack Miss Bryant with a glass bottle before starting on Miss Beaven pinning her head to a pub table and raining down blows.

Describing the assault, Miss Bryant told the court: "He grabbed me and pushed me backwards. He went to punch me and I just froze."

Miss Curtis, who suffered a black eye and bruising in the attack, said: "I just remember getting whacked. I fell backwards and hit my head and shoulders on the table and landed on the floor.

"I saw Antonia on the floor and John was punching her."

Prosecutor Ruth Armstrong explained how the incident began after the Wigmores downed spirits, beer and lager at a family barbecue.

Downing more drinks at the Greyhound pub in Mortimer Street, the family moved on to The Ship, where Mr Wigmore attempted to sing Tom Jones's hit, but was too drunk to read the words.

Mr Wigmore became abusive when Miss Curtis joined in.

Shouting out "Who let that old slapper sing?" Mr Wigmore launched into a verbal assault on Miss Curtis after she told him he was too drunk to read the karaoke screen.

Mr Wigmore leaped over a bar table to punch the Trowbridge mother in the face.

Karaoke organiser Derek Holder told the court he saw crowds of people brawling but noticed Mr Wigmore was being "extremely violent" and heard his daughter shouting "Go on dad, give it to them".

Defending himself, Mr Wigmore said he was too drunk to remember what happened but insisted he would never hit a woman.

"It was all mayhem. I can't remember what I did. I don't believe I would hit a woman," he told the court.

George Mullin, defending Miss Wigmore, said the slanging match with 31-year-old Miss Beaven was not all one-sided.

He said: "Many witnesses admit they had been drinking. There are inconsistencies in the explanations that have been given."

Mr and Miss Wigmore will be sentenced at a court hearing in Chippenham on November 7.