A dad-of-four crept into his ex-girlfriend's bedroom and poured milk over her new boyfriend before breaking his eye socket.
Craig Jones climbed through an open kitchen window into Chantelle Hilton's home in Huyton in the early hours of the morning.
After finding her asleep in bed with her new partner Jack Jones, he doused him awake and hit him in the face with a glass tumbler.
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He claimed Jack Jones had taunted him over the phone by saying he was about to put his children to bed and read them a story.
Liverpool Crown Court today heard the 29-year-old bragged after the attack: "I told you I would get you lad."
Paul Blasbery, prosecuting, said Craig Jones struck at the property in Huyton House Road, at around 3am, on August 30 this year.
He said: "Jack Jones describes going to sleep before being awoken by milk being poured on his head.
"This initially startled him, he woke up and when he turned around he was met with a strike to the face with what he believed was a tumbler glass, which caused a laceration to his forehead and heavy swelling around his right eye socket."
He said the victim got out of bed, and in an effort to defend himself, hit his partner's ex in the face.
Jack Jones described being struck again, which caused bruising to the left side of his face, before he was "thrown" against a TV.
Mr Blasbery said the victim held onto it to steady himself, but was grabbed again, which damaged the £200 TV beyond repair.
He tried to restrain Craig Jones and remove him from the house with the help of Miss Hilton's sister, while his partner called the police, but was "grabbed" by her ex.
Mr Blasbery said the victim didn't think Craig Jones was "bothered" when he was told police were on their way, as he said: "I told you I would get you lad."
When arrested and interviewed, Craig Jones told police he had been messaging Miss Hilton about their son's birthday in a "tit for tat" conversation.
Mr Blasbery said: "He stated he had been in a relationship with Miss Hilton for about nine years and confirmed they had four children together.
"He stated the relationship ended approximately four weeks previously and within a week she was with her new partner."
Craig Jones told officers he had wanted to meet with her to "sort out seeing the children" but she hadn't turned up as planned.
He said he decided to go to her home, found the kitchen window open and climbed through, so in his words he could have a "civil conversation".
Mr Blasbery said Craig Jones claimed no one was downstairs so he went upstairs and Jack Jones woke up.
The prosecutor said: "He said he was punched in the nose by him, so he threw liquid in his face. He denied using a tumbler to attack Mr Jones."
Craig Jones - who said he had drunk around four pints - suggested he acted in self-defence and damaged the TV inadvertently.
Mr Blasbery said he told the police "arms were flailing everywhere" and in relation to hitting the phone out of Miss Hilton's hand "he must have accidentally caught her".
Craig Jones, of Paxton Road, Huyton, admitted assaulting Jack Jones causing him actual bodily harm, common assault against Miss Hilton, and criminal damage. He has one previous conviction for possessing cocaine in 2019.
Mr Blasbery said Jack Jones suffered a "serious injury", namely a "fracture to the eye socket".
He said an aggravating feature of the case was the fact children were present in the house, but thankfully not in the bedroom.
Christopher Stables, defending, said his client was in full time employment, had a good work record and it was a "one off incident".
He said: "It was set against an emotionally charged background. There had been direct phone contact with the complainant, Mr Jones, shortly before the incident."
Mr Stables added: "The complainant, Mr Jones, had said that he was about to put the defendant's children to bed and read a story to them.
"It was a comment the defendant believed was intended to touch a nerve and it did touch a nerve."
He said the attack was "totally out of character", as shown in six references, and "very unlikely ever to be repeated".
Urging the judge to spare him jail, he added Craig Jones could pay compensation to his victims.
Recorder Louis Browne, QC, said Craig Jones had been talking to Jack Jones over the phone that night.
He said: "Mr Jones had, so it is said, managed to effectively wind you up by telling you he was going to put your children to bed and read them a story.
"That did strike a nerve with you and you reacted accordingly."
The judge said he had read victim statements, adding: "From Miss Hilton's perspective she didn't suffer physical harm. She claims to have suffered huge mental harm. Mr Jones describes physical injuries suffered and the consequences to him of them."
He said references, including one from his employer, a catering company, spoke of his "qualities", while a pre-sentence report supported the assertion the attack was unlikely to be repeated.
Recorder Browne said: "It recognises that you have remorse for this incident, you're ashamed and sorry, and I accept that you feel that way."
The judge said because of his mitigation and "positive references" he could hand him 12 months in prison, suspended for 18 months.
He told him to complete a 20-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, 20 hours of unpaid work and to pay £150 to Miss Hilton and £250 to Jack Jones in compensation.
The judge imposed an indefinite restraining order to protect his victims.
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