A relationship break-up turned violent as an angry boyfriend punched his former girlfriend - and then slammed a car door on to the leg of the grandfather of her child, a court heard.

Brett Wayne Law, 41, admitted two common assaults.

Both of the offences happened at the woman's home in St Bees on November 24, magistrates in Carlisle heard.

John Moran, prosecuting, outlined how the now former couple had argued and ended up struggling over her mobile phone while her child was in the same room. The woman said Law punched her two or three times.

The prosecutor then described how the child's grandfather had arrived at the property and was greeted by the defendant running out of the house, clearly angry.

As the man was getting out of the car, Law walked up to it and used both his hands to slam the man's car door on the man's leg.

The older man did manage to see his grandchild and his former daughter-in-law but Law continued to be verbally abusive, said Mr Moran.

In a statement, the woman Law assaulted said: "At the time, I was scared, and I am still: I just don't know what he's capable of - especially when he's had a drink. I would like a restraining order against Mr Law.

"I never want to see him again."

Mr Moran said that the defendant was in custody because shortly after being questioned and released by police he had contacted his victim and while he did not threaten her he put her under "a little bit" of pressure.

He told her he could lose her job if prosecuted.

Mike Woolaghan, for Law, said that at the time of the assaults, Law and the woman were technically separated but they were continuing to live together. Their split was relatively acrimonious.

On the day of the offences, Law had drunk three pints and as they began to argue a struggle had developed between them over her mobile phone. "During that, he struck her, causing a minor injury.

"She sustained a split lip."

Law accepted running outside the house and telling the child's grandfather to leave but he had shut the car door recklessly rather than deliberately meaning to hurt him.

Mr Woolaghan said that Law was keen to keep his £31,000 a year job with a local employer and make the necessary compensation payments.

District Judge Gerald Chalk described the first assault as sustained, but accepted that the door slamming incident had been reckless rather than intentional. The judge imposed a 12 month community order.

As part of that, Law, now of Stanley View, Whitehaven, must complete 170 hours of unpaid work in the community and pay the woman he assaulted £150 compensation; the man £100, and costs of £100.

The judge imposed a two year restraining order banning any contact with the woman he attacked.