A WEDDING reception at a Musselburgh hotel ended in violence after the bride’s father got involved in an altercation with a guest, a court heard.

Robert Hood was attending his friend’s wedding celebrations at the Ravelston House Hotel when he became involved in a physical confrontation with father-of-the bride John Samson.

It was claimed that Mr Hood, of Muirside Drive, Tranent, had attacked Mr Samson and his brother-in-law Anthony Murray while the three were in a toilet at the hotel last April.

He was alleged to have struck both men to the head leaving Mr Samson with a burst lip and Mr Murray with loose teeth.

Mr Hood, 47, stood trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last Wednesday accused of assaulting the pair during the wedding.

He alleged that Mr Samson and Mr Murray had started the trouble, not him.

Witness Mr Samson said he had been enjoying the evening of his daughter’s wedding celebrations until he heard some shouting coming from Mr Hood.

Mr Samson said he tapped Mr Hood on the shoulder and said “if there is any trouble I will get it sorted”.

Mr Samson, 53, said he heard Mr Hood shout “I will kill everyone in here” and that he was being “a nuisance basically”.

He said they walked into the bathroom to speak and Mr Hood told everyone else to get out.

At this point Mr Murray appeared in the toilet also. Mr Samson, a digger driver, claimed that Mr Hood then struck him in the face before punching Mr Murray to the mouth.

He told the court that after striking both men Mr Hood then ran from the toilet area and he found he had blood coming from his mouth.

Mr Murray, 50, also gave evidence to the court and said he had loose teeth after being allegedly punched by Hood.

Mr Murray said he saw Mr Hood attack Mr Samson by “punching at him wildly” and he was forced to jump in to break the fight up.

He said following the incident he was forced to have a tooth extracted after he had been hit in “the lower jaw area”.

Mr Hood claimed he had been defending himself and that Mr Samson and Mr Murray had been the instigators of any violence that took place.

Following all the evidence, Sheriff Sheehan found Hood not guilty of both charges of assault.

Mr Hood was found not guilty of assaulting John Samson and Anthony Murray by hitting them to the head at Ravelston House Hotel, Musselburgh, on April 22 last year.