A MAN has been left feeling "vulnerable" and wary of leaving his home after being attacked by his stepdaughter's drunken former partner on his own doorstep.

Stuart Franklin has had to put his business on hold after suffering facial and finger damage, as well as a dislocated shoulder following the assault by Ross Tudge.

He also has difficulty sleeping and it hurts him to eat, magistrates were told last week.

Nicola Ritchie, prosecuting, said the resultant injuries and trauma from the attack at midnight on April 14 and spread of gossip has meant Mr Franklin "doesn’t socialise as much as he used to".

Mr Franklin and partner Claire Oaten had gone out drinking with the latter's daughter April to celebrate her birthday, and were joined by Tudge, 25, who she was dating at the time.

Following an argument between Tudge and April, the defendant left the group but later appeared at Mr Franklin's and Ms Oaten's home in Old Street, Upton, demanding to speak to his then-partner.

Ms Ritchie said Ms Oaten told Tudge to leave but he then "tried to push the door open" and "put his foot in the door to stop it closing".

Ms Oaten called Mr Franklin, who was in bed upstairs, and a confrontation on the doorstep led to Tudge punching the victim in the face.

During the resultant fight, the pair ended up on the front lawn and then onto the pavement with Mr Franklin dislocating his shoulder.

Tudge preceded to punch him six more times in the face while they were on the ground, and hit Mrs Oaten in the upper arm as she tried to intervene.

A small crowd gathered at the scene and the defendant was pulled away by a neighbour before punching five windows at the front of the property, causing them to smash. He then left the scene.

Ms Ritchie said Tudge was previously convicted for an assault by beating in 2016 and was given a caution for an assault in 2013.

Mark Turnbull, defending, said his client had pleaded not guilty to the offence, arguing he "acted in self-defence", but was found guilty of two counts of assault by beating and one of criminal damage at a trial earlier this month.

Sentencing was adjourned until July 18 so a pre-sentence report could be compiled, with Tudge warned he could face prison.

A probation report, read out in court, said Tudge and April had argued about the former's relationship with his previous partner of nine years who had bought a house with.

The court heard he has since taken out a £25,000 loan to buy her out of the house in Quay Lane, Hanley Castle.

Tudge has been running a landscape gardening business for five years and employs five people.

He was given an 18-month community order, including 180 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay Mr Franklin £1,120 in compensation and Mrs Oaten £50.

He must also pay £100 to cover the excess on the broken windows.

A restraining order was put in place, preventing him contacting the victims.

Speaking to the Worcester News after the hearing, Mr Franklin said: "Hopefully it stops him from assaulting people in future. If he went to prison he would probably go down the wrong road."

Mr Franklin and Mrs Oaten wanted to thank the people of Upton for their support following the incident. The former is still awaiting surgery on his shoulder.