The son of a 102-year-old great-grandfather who died after allegedly being assaulted at a south Wales pub says he was a “pub character”.

Phillip Ormerod, from Cwmbran, Torfaen, was taken to hospital in a critical condition following the incident at the Crow’s Nest pub in the town on 1 August.

Gwent Police confirmed on Thursday that he had since died.

A 56-year-old man from Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, was arrested on suspicion of inflicting grievous bodily harm, and remains under investigation.

Ormerod’s son, Robert Ormerod, said his dad had been diagnosed with dementia and was a widower who lived alone.

“I feel sad – even though he could be difficult because of his age and dementia, still, you get used to him being around,” he said.

“Even though I suppose he wouldn’t go on forever, he would’ve carried on I think for a bit.”

Robert Ormerod, a retired civil engineer, said his father used to visit the Crow’s Nest regularly and described him as a popular character who young people would buy beer for when he visited the bar.

“What happened is not nice. The pub has changed a lot over the years. It has become a youngsters’ pub,” he said.

“Me and my brother would visit our father regularly and clean the house.

“His eyesight had deteriorated and he had been diagnosed with dementia two or three years ago.

“He walked to the pub two or three times a week… he was a beer drinker and I suppose some people saw him as a bit of a character at his age.”

He added said he grew up in the home in the the Llanyrafon neighbourhood where his father had lived since 1960.

He said his dad had a career as a design draftsman and had lived alone since his wife died 40 years ago.

“We just hope for some justice.”

Emergency services were called to the pub at about 22:25 BST following a report of an assault.

Det Ch Insp Shelley Comley, senior investigating officer for Gwent Police, said: “We understand the public interest in this incident but want to remind people that, not only is this an active criminal investigation, but there is a family at the heart of it processing the loss of a loved one.”

She urged people to “consider the impact that inaccurate or speculative comments” including “online commentary” could have.

The force is urging anyone who was at the pub between 22:00 and 23:00 on the night of the incident to contact them.