A former soldier accused his ex-partner of cheating and attacked a man she was with, a court heard.
Mitchell Palmer had taken drink and drugs before striking Mark Cowell with a scaffolding clip in Chipping Sodbury.
Bristol Crown Court heard Palmer suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after serving three military tours of Afghanistan, and had self-medicated.
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Palmer 34, a scaffolder, of Windsor Drive, Yate, pleaded guilty to unlawfully wounding Mr Cowell in Broad Street on October 9 last year.
He also admitted assaulting his former partner Charlie Underhill.
The court was told Palmer had contracted Covid, was isolating on remand in prison and consented to be sentenced in his absence.
The recorder Mr Ben Compton QC handed him a two-year community order with alcohol treatment and rehabilitation.
He said: "This is a chance that he has to take.
"A repeat of this sort of conduct will be immediate prison and he needs to know that."
The recorder imposed a five-year restraining order banning Palmer from the complainants as well as Broad Street.
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Rhianna Fricker, prosecuting, said Palmer texted his former partner accusing her of cheating on him, and she turned her telephone off.
The court heard Palmer went to her home and, as she opened the door, forced his way in and verbally abused her.
When Mr Cowell intervened the men grappled on the floor and Palmer produced a scaffolding clip and struck it on the back of Mr Cowell's head, the court heard.
Miss Fricker told the court: "Miss Underhill was put in a headlock and she fell to the floor.
"They managed to get him to leave and he got into a scaffolding van and drove away."
The court heard Palmer had a previous conviction for using violence to gain entry to his parents' home as well as battery.
Emily Evans, defending, urged for a community order for her client.
She conceded the assaults were carried out in drink and her client had been self-medicating for PTSD derived from military service.
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