A thug brutally attacked a man after visiting his home - and then asked if he was OK.
As blood poured from the victim's nose, David Laws even patted his head, in what was described as 'strange behaviour'.
The violence unfolded following a spat over a dog, South East Northumberland Magistrates' Court heard.
Laws turned up to his rival's home to confront him over allegations that his dog had been biting people.
It quickly turned ugly.
Laws lunged at the man, punching his face.
The victim went to grab a baseball bat by his door but Laws "repeatedly punched" him.
"I was punched more than four times in quick succession," the victim told police.
Prosecutors described the April 12 attack as "quite a nasty beating".
But then Laws started behaving oddly as his victim lay stunned.
At one point he asked the man: "Are you alright?
"You took a good beating there kid."
In mitigation, the court heard Laws did suffer some scrapes as part of the scuffle.
But he's now been ordered to keep away from the man.
The 38-year-old, who pleaded guilty to assault by beating on Thursday, has been hit with a restraining order and ordered to pay £150 compensation.
Magistrates also ordered Laws, of Storther Way in Cramlington, to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
