'WALES' Strongest Man', a bodybuilder from Barry, has been jailed for beating up his next door neighbours in an attack so savage the victim "thought he was going to be killed".

Nathan Szuchnik, 31, attacked the man and woman just three months after he was crowned Wales' Strongest Man last year.

Szuchnik, of Poplar Court, kicked victim Mark Burnham while he lay on the floor, leaving him with injuries including cuts and bruised ribs.

The Welsh dumbbell record holder also beat Katherine Stokes during the attack in July last year in Barry.

Szuchnik and his partner Natalie Roberts, 31 - herself the current Wales' Strongest Woman title holder - invited the couple back to their home for a drink after walking home together from Rhoose Social Club last July.

But Newport Crown Court heard Szuchnik's "attitude changed" and he went upstairs to bed, leading to his guests to promptly leave.

Prosecutor Peter Donnison said: "After his neighbours returned to their home they heard a lot of banging and crashing.

"Miss Stokes went back to see if everything was alright. At Szuchnik's door she saw him shouting 'Why did you invite them into the house?'"

"He then approached Miss Stokes and grabbed her arms and pushed her to the side and she fell to the ground.

"Mr Burnham came outside. Natalie Roberts also came outside and Szuchnik threw her to the floor.

"He went towards Mr Burnham throwing punches in his direction.

"The men went into Mr Burnham's house. While on the ground Szuchnik grabbed him by his hair and kicked and stamped on his head.

"Mr Burnham thought he was going to be killed."

Mr Donnison said Szuchnik then threw Miss Stokes into the driveway after she and his partner tried to pull him from Mr Burnham.

Mr Burnham was left with bruising to his arm and hip, grazing to his leg, and bruised ribs.

Miss Stokes was left with a bruised upper arm.

Szuchnik handed himself over to police claiming he acted in self defence, only to plead guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault by beating on the day of his trial.

Kevin Seal, defending, said Szuchnik accepted he'd "brought this upon himself", and said he would lose his job working for a housing association if he was jailed.

Mr Seal said: "He acknowledges this was a troubling situation for his neighbours as well and it's not something he would wish to repeat."

He said the attack happened on the one-year anniversary of the death of Szuchnik's "close friend".

But Judge Jonathan Furness QC said Szuchnik had "no excuses" for the violent attack.

He said: "This was an innocent couple you met for a pleasant drink, which ended up back at your home where they were assaulted.

"Mr Burnham was stamped and kicked.

"It's fortunate his and Miss Stokes' injuries were not more serious than they actually were."

Szuchnik was jailed for 10 months and ordered to pay a £140 victim surcharge.