A MAN beat up his wife's lover when he found them in bed together, a court heard.Jeremy Bird broke Roy Pearce's jaw cut his lip and blackened his eyes, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

A MAN beat up his wife's lover when he found them in bed together, a court heard.

Jeremy Bird broke Roy Pearce's jaw cut his lip and blackened his eyes, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

Bird, 34, had been at the Woolpack Pub drinking with his wife and their friend Mr Pearce when Bird suffered an epileptic fit.

Peter Gare, prosecuting, said an ambulance was called and when Mr and Mrs Bird went to hospital, Mr Pearce returned to the couple's Norfolk Road home to look after their dog.

Later that night Mrs Bird returned home and started "making advances" towards Mr Pearce. He responded and the pair ended up in bed.

When Bird came hone in the early hours he found them together. He told police he thought Mr Pearce was going to attack him so he hit out first. He admitted causing Mr Pearce actual bodily harm last June.

Christopher Morgan mitigating said: "This occurred in circumstances in which it would be only natural that emotions were running high, he went too far." He said that Bird was genuinely sorry for what he had done.

Judge John Devaux said he was not going to award compensation to Mr Pearce as it was not a straightforward case. However he said that did not mean that Mr Pearce would not be entitled to compensation through a civil court.

He said Bird only had one offence recorded against him and that was for assaulting a police officer.

Judge Devaux sentenced Bird to 12 months community rehabilitation and ordered him to pay £250 towards court costs.