A guest at a family barbecue who threw a camping chair at a man causing a cut to his head and fractured another man’s thumb has been ordered to do 180 hours unpaid work in the community.

Wendell Clarke was unhappy with his partner sitting on her step-father Karl Hand’s lap and a scuffle broke out between them, during which Clarke picked up the camping chair and threw it at Mr Hand’s head, causing a cut, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Another guest, Matthew Wade tried to intervene, resulting in his glasses being knocked off his head, said Marcus Croskell, prosecuting.

Mr Wade tried to intervene again when he saw Clarke pick up a garden chair and raise it above his head and suffered a fractured thumb in the melee, the court heard.

Julie Duff, who was also at the barbecue, was pushed out of the way by Clarke during the incident, said Mr Croskell.

Clarke, 37, of Sirdar Road, Ipswich, admitted assaulting Mr Wade causing him actual bodily harm, common assault on Karl Hand and common assault on Julie Duff and was ordered to carry out 180 hours unpaid work in the community.

He was also ordered to pay £200 costs, £189 compensation to Mr Wade for damage to his glasses and a £60 victim surcharge.

The court heard the assaults took place at a family barbecue at a house in Wherstead Road, Ipswich, on July 7 last year.

Steven Dyble, for Clarke, described the incident as “unseemly” and said Clarke had too much to drink.

He said his client accepted picking up the camping chair and throwing it at Mr Hand but had not intended to injure him.

He said the injury to Mr Wade’s thumb was caused recklessly when Mr Wade was grappling with Clarke after he had picked up the garden chair.

Mr Dyble said that sadly since the incident there had been no contact between Clarke’s partner and her mother and stepfather.