A WEYMOUTH man is serving a prison sentence for repeatedly lighting up a cigarette on a Gibraltar to Gatwick flight, magistrates were told.

Blandford magistrates heard Matthew John Nightingale last week received an eight-month sentence at Lewes Crown Court.

Nightingale, 42, of Carlton Road North, appeared in Blandford to be sentenced for assaulting Stuart Storey on May 10.

Patrick Matthews, prosecuting, said shortly after midnight the buzzer to Mr Storey's flat had been pressed for 10 minutes. This followed problems for the previous month with someone pressing the buzzers repeatedly late at night because they had forgotten the key to their flat in the block.

Mr Storey and his partner had been in bed and he decided to go and open the door - and talk to Nightingale about his unreasonable behaviour.

On his way he met another resident and the pair found no one at the front door and then heard him at the rear door. The other man opened the door and Mr Storey told Nightingale he had been annoying other residents.

Nightingale had thrown his jacket on the floor and sworn at him.

Mr Matthews said: "He then proceeded to punch Mr Storey to the head twice and kicked him in the leg."

Nightingale was pulled away by the other man to prevent him continuing his attack which had already caused a cut lip - which required four stitches - and a loose front tooth.

The court heard that Nightingale later told police he had been drunk and tired when he returned from work and had forgotten his keys.

The court was told Nightingale had been sentenced by the crown court for an offence of endangering the safety of an aircraft.

Ian Graham, defending, urged the magistrates to impose a concurrent prison sentence and made a successful plea for the court to wipe off £700 in outstanding unpaid fines.

Magistrates decided to impose a two-month sentence for the assault.

They told Nightingale the three-month sentence would be served concurrently with his existing sentence.