A Bridgend man has spoken out on the terrifying moment his neighbour punched him then brought a "kung fu" knife onto his driveway.
Nick Williams challenged his former friend Duane Brown for throwing lit fireworks into gardens and driveways in Brackla — before Brown hit him in the face and carried a blade onto his property.
Brown has since pleaded guilty to assault and carrying weapons in public. The 36-year-old is due to be sentenced on December 16 at Cardiff Crown Court.
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Nick, 29, said: "I do think a prison sentence would be appropriate. It would certainly help me sleep a bit better, but then I worry about when he gets out. I don't think this feeling's ever going to go away."
Brown lives on Maes Talcen, two streets away from Nick on Cae Ffynnon. Nick said they met through mutual friends and were on friendly terms around four years ago, before falling out of contact.
The bizarre attack came on November 14, after Brown had attracted attention by setting off fireworks near Nick's house.
Nick said: "At about 9.30pm we heard five or six fireworks going off all around the street. We heard this really loud, deep bang. We looked out and saw Duane walking down the street. The fireworks were going into gardens and driveways.
"He had lit a firecracker and was screaming that humanity had failed him and society was going down the drain. After this firecracker exploded in another person's garden, he was shouting and laughing.
"Loads of people were in the street. I couldn't see who he was at this point. I shouted down to him, 'Who the f*** are you?' Then he turned around and said to me, 'Who the f*** are you?'
"He ran at me and it was only when he got close that I realised it was Duane. I said, 'It's Nick.' He kind of stood there for a second, like he was looking straight through me and didn't recognise me. That look has really stayed with me. Then he just punched me straight in the nose."
Nick recalls turning around and running back to his house shouting: "Call the police." He said Brown then headed in the other direction.
When Nick got home, he called police and spoke to them for about 20 minutes. The operator told him officers were on their way. Then Nick noticed his driveway's motion-sensitive light come on.
Nick, his boyfriend and parents were in the house. Doorbell CCTV footage shows Brown approach the home at around 9.57pm, prompting Nick to ask him what he was doing. A knife can be seen in Brown's hand.
Wearing a hoodie, shorts and a rucksack, Brown can be heard to say: "You've got my key." Nick added he had no idea what this meant.
Within seconds of Brown approaching, Nick had noticed the blade and shouted to his family: "Call police, he's got a f*****g machete." Brown swore and walked away from the home.
He was initially charged with having a "machete", but the wording of the charge was later changed to "training knives". Brown is part of a martial arts club.
"I would say the blade itself was at least 10 inches long not including the handle," said Nick. "It was scary as hell. I slammed the door and phoned the police again. They said they were sending armed officers.
"About half an hour after that, armed police turned up. We had one police car at my house with two officers but I've heard from neighbours there were a lot of police in his street."
Police arrested Brown that night but bailed him the following afternoon, added Nick, who has struggled to sleep since.
"It's been bad. Two nights ago I was sleeping and the Christmas decorations fell down in the dining room. I shot out of bed panicking. It set my anxiety off and triggered something.
"My mother had a brain haemorrhage seven years ago and has quite a bad anxiety disorder. She's really been affected by it. Duane was aware of my mother's illness and still came to the house. I'm angry he did that and there's also the fear of him returning.
"I thought I would be OK afterwards but I just haven't been. Little triggers are setting me off since it happened. Even if I move at night and the bed creaks, it takes me a moment to realise it's just me. Yesterday I only got to sleep at 10am and woke at 2pm."
Nick feels he is in need of urgent therapy though he faces an eight-week waiting list even for a private counselling session.
Ahead of sentencing Brown is under a court order restraining him from going to Cae Ffynnon or contacting anyone in Nick's household. Nick hopes a long-term restraining order is imposed.
Speaking through tears, Nick said: "I do want to leave the area but at the same time I worry about leaving my parents. More than anything I think Duane should leave the area. I was shocked when I heard he'd been bailed the day after it happened."
Brown appeared at Cardiff Magistrates' Court last Thursday and pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Williams as well as carrying two training knives in public, though Nick only saw one knife in Brown's hand.
The defendant told the court: "It's [the knife] for kung fu it is. It's not sharp. It could be deemed as threatening."
Prosecutor Jermel Anderson said: "The defendant was in a state of intoxication and had been drinking for quite some time."
Brown's lawyer Garth James said there was "very substantial mitigation" meaning his client should not go to prison but he added sentencing was beyond the powers of the magistrates.
Presiding Justice Jason Bartlett adjourned the case to December 16 for sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court. He bailed Brown and ordered him not to go to Cae Ffynnon or contact anyone in Nick's household.
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