AN argument in a block of flats led to a man assaulting a mother of three and using violence to enter her home.

Father and daughter Megan and Robert Bird appeared in the dock at South Cumbria Magistrates' Court yesterday to each face two charges of assault by beating and using violence to enter a premises.

Both denied the charges against them.

Bird, 54, of Schooner Street, Barrow was found guilty by magistrates on both charges but Miss Bird was found not guilty.

Amy Pickering, who lived in the ground floor flat in Jarrow Street, said she complained to people in the flat above her that they were making too much noise and kept waking up her six-month-old baby on October 21.

She told the court she heard 'banging' and 'loud conversation', which started around 7pm and persisted throughout the night.

"They were really loud and kept waking up my baby," she told magistrates.

"I went to tell them about it and a spoke to a man who apologised and said 'we only thudded once'."

Bird, told the court after this conversation he heard a sound from the flat below that sounded 'like a mop hitting the ceiling'.

Ten minutes later, Miss Pickering told the court, Miss Bird knocked on her back door and spoke to Miss Pickering, telling her: "Why have have been shouting at my dad?".

Miss Bird, 28 of Brathay Crescent, Barrow was then said to have been joined by her dad, who barged into the flat and hurt Miss Pickering's hand.

The court was told that Bird was hit over the head with a baseball bat by Miss Pickering's partner Michael Irwin after the defendant entered the flat.

But the defence said Mr Irwin came at the pair when they were outside the flat with a raised bat and Bird intervened to protect his daughter.

Bird said he sustained a cut to his head and bruising between his shoulder blades and was taken to hospital immediately after the incident.

The court was told Bird had had 10 drinks on the night and Miss Bird had had seven, they were drinking at the home of Miss Bird's brother and her dad's stepson.

Mr Irwin was arrested at the scene for grievous bodily harm but was not charged, the court heard.

Defending the pair, Karen Templeton said: "She had every reason to lie. She wanted to protect her boyfriend from trouble."

Magistrates sentenced Robert to a 12 weeK curfew telling him he will not be allowed to leave his home between 7pm and 7am.

He was also told to pay £600 in court costs and an £85 victim surcharge.