A DAD who punched another man over a family dispute has been spared jail.

Christopher Thomas, 37, of Ridgemoor Road, Leominster pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Hereford Crown Court heard that on May 14 last year he visited Springfield Avenue in Hunderton, Hereford with his partner, Carly, to speak to Martina Cotterell about their daughter.

Delroy Henry, prosecuting, said Thomas had claimed the two women began to argue, before Anthony Scullion came out from behind Miss Cotterell and punched him on the eye.

Thomas said he reacted to the punch by pushing Mr Scullion to the ground, but when he got up Thomas punched him again.

After a further scuffle Thomas punched and kicked Mr Scullion while he was on the ground.

Mr Scullion sustained swelling to both eyes, grazing to his forehead, a broken nose, cuts to his face, shoulder and elbow. Thomas said he had a black eye.

The court on Monday heard that since the incident he had pleaded guilty to common assault against a partner.

Magistrates in Hereford gave him a community order for two years with supervision for two years, with a specified activity of working through the better relationships course.

The court also heard Thomas had 36 convictions for 73 offences- seven of which were against a person.

He was sentenced to 15 months in prison suspended for two years. He was given two years supervision to run in tandem with the magistrates order and he must complete six sessions of an alcohol workbook and eight sessions of a domestic violence workbook.

He was ordered to pay £1,200 costs.