Man avoids jail after breaking partner's lover's nose

Stephen Darrall confronted Mark Wynn at his house in the middle of the night on August 5, after coming home from work to find his partner was gone.

His partner had been having a relationship with both men, but had informed Darrall she was no longer seeing Mr Wynn, Shrewsbury Crown Court was told on Tuesday.

Darrall, 33, was at work and assumed that his partner was at home as they were planning to go on holiday a day or so later, but when he got home she was not in the house, Miss Sati Ruck said on behalf of the crown.

She received a text which woke her in the night from Darrall to say he was coming to Mr Wynn's house, and when he got there Mr Wynn shouted from inside to say she was not there.

But Darrall, of Dawley Road, Arleston, Telford, walked around the back of the house where he saw her through one of the windows.

Mr Wynn went outside but the defendant "lost it and punched him in the face repeatedly", Miss Ruck said.

She added: "She saw the pair fighting but did not witness who threw the first punch and said they were both defending themselves.

"She then noticed Mark Wynn was bleeding, and the defendant asked her to go home with him but she refused and he left.

"Then Mr Wynn called the police."

Mr Wynn sustained a fractured nasal bone, a wound to his right eyebrow and bruising, according to the prosecution.

Mr Paul Smith, on behalf of Darrall, said the situation was "very sad" and "a real mess".

He said: "Had he got home and had a cup of tea he might have calmed down.

"He had been assured by his live-in partner that she was not having an affair.

"He knows he needs to be punished. The aggravating factors are mitigated by the human circumstance."

Darrall pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm and was handed a 24-month community order by Judge Anthony Lowe, as well as 180 hours unpaid work, and was ordered to take part in a building better relationships programme and rehabilitation activity requirement.

Judge Lowe said: "There's plainly a lot going on here, this was some momentary loss of control.

"I hope I've got this right but only you know, it's for you to take that chance, I could have served you a custodial sentence today."