A FORMER snooker ace has been found guilty of a "prolonged assault" on an ex-partner after a dispute over a laptop in his Bowness flat.

Three-times semi finalist in the World Professional Snooker Championship in the 1980s, Anthony "Tony" Knowles was found guilty by South Lakeland Magistrates of assault by beating following a trial.

The court heard the 59-year-old, who owns Churchills Wine Bar in Bowness, was putting up ex-partner Nazma Craig in the flat above on October 9.

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Ms Craig told the court she was owed £30,000 from the Bolton-born snooker player and businessman which he invested in The White House hotel next door to the bar.

The court was told the pair had been in an on-and-off relationship since 2011. They had separated in the summer of last year while Knowles was undergoing treatment for throat cancer. Ms Craig was living in the flat as she had "nowhere else to go".

Peter Kelly said on October 9 Knowles and Ms Craig had been watching TV on her laptop as the aerial in the flat was not working.

Ms Craig left to go to a friend's house and on her return just after 10pm asked the defendant for the laptop.

"When I decided to take it he lost it," said Ms Craig.

Giving evidence from behind a screen, Ms Craig told the court how he grabbed the laptop and threw it down before punching her arm and towering over her shouting abusive language.

A weeping Ms Craig said he followed her to his bedroom and grabbed her round the throat causing her to bash her arm on a cabinet.

The court heard Knowles threatened to call the police and following a "struggle" over the fax machine and phone, neither were aware the call had been made.

Magistrates listened to the call where screams and the sound of a man's voice could be heard.

When police arrived, Ms Craig was found "shaken" with a bruise and scratches on her arm.

Knowles denied allegations of assault and said Ms Craig "must have been mistaken", adding the "only struggle" they had was over the fax machine.

He also admitted "words were spoken" after Ms Craig took possession of the laptop which had been loading The Only Way is Essex.

In mitigation Anthony Shimmin said the defendant was a man of previous good character.

Knowles also pleaded guilty to one count of resisting a constable in the execution of their duty on the same evening.

He will be sentenced at South Lakeland Magistrates' Court on January 28.