A MAN got so "hyper" watching the film Lethal Weapon that he punched a fellow resident who told him to be quiet, knocking out five of his teeth.

Victim Thomas Clarke had no idea of the extent of his injury until he went to wash the blood out of his mouth and was presented with three of his teeth, prosecutor Stacey Turner told Swindon magistrates yesterday.

His attacker, Nigel Coleman, 46, was with other residents in the common room at Davis House in Turl Street watching the Mel Gibson film, noted for its violence, when the incident happened on Sunday evening.

He admitted a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm. "It seems that Mr Coleman got excited and somewhat hyper," said Miss Turner. He began shouting at the television and the other residents were unable to hear what was going on.

Mr Clarke, 50, asked him to quieten down so they could listen. He was knocked to the floor and found he had a badly bleeding mouth. When he went to wash the blood away that someone found three of his teeth and brought them to him.

In interview Coleman told police he had been wound up by the film and he admitted administering a single punch to Mr Clarke's face because he "did not like giving people bloody noses," added the prosecutor.

Tony Novogrodski, for Coleman, said that when the 48-year-old watched television it was not unusual for him to shout at the screen and when he was watching Lethal Weapon he wanted to see the "baddie" die.

There was a silly argument and Coleman took umbrage at Mr Clarke's tone of voice.

He explained that Coleman suffered from learning difficulties and did not have the necessary skills to deal with situations that other people had.

The hearing was adjourned until September 9 for pre-sentence reports. Coleman was granted bail on the condition that he did not contact the victim.

Tina Clarke