A man warned off his former partner's new man before assaulting him.
Allen Cowell was married to Heidi Cowell for some 12 years, Bristol Crown Court heard today (July 30).
But after the relationship ended, and she was seeing Paul Howe, Cowell tried to warn him off with threats.
When Cowell saw them together he lunged at Mr Cowe, cutting his hand.
Cowell, 38, of Bransby Way in Weston-super-Mare, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) in January.
Judge Julian Lambert handed him a five-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
He told Cowell: "This was a totally unacceptable loss of temper.
"Miss Cowell may consort with who she wants."
Cowell was told to go on an anger management course and do 80 hours' unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £150 compensation to Mr Howe.
'Embarrassed and remorseful'
James Haskell, prosecuting, said in the autumn of last year Cowell made threats to Mr Howe, saying Howe's relationship with Ms Cowell needed to end.
In January this year Ms Cowell was sat in Mr Howe's van when Cowell appeared, opened the driver's door and lunged at him.
Mr Haskell said: "Mr Howe pushed him away.
"He received a cut to his hand.
"The defendant denies that he was in possession of a knife.
"He accepted he had something sharp in his hand and that he was responsible for the cut.
"It was a superficial wound."
In interview Cowell accepted he was in a scuffle but denied being responsible for the injury to Mr Howe's hand.
He pleaded guilty to ABH on the day of a planned trial.
Nadeem Aullybocus, defending, said his client was "embarrassed, regretted what happened and was remorseful."
He told the court: "On any other day he's an upstanding and productive member of the community."
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