A MAN attacked his girlfriend's ex-lover with a wine bottle when he found them together in his home.

John Burlinson was furious that Craig Mosley had taken alcoholic Lesley Tough to buy more booze.

Ms Tough had already had a bottle of vodka when she rang and asked Mr Mosley to run her to the shops.

When Burlinson returned from his own shopping to discover what had happened, he hit out.

Teesside Crown Court heard that he took a wine bottle from his bag and hit Mr Mosley over the head.

The victim needed six stitches in a gaping scalp wound after he was taken to hospital in Darlington.

Burlinson was ordered to pay Mr Mosley £300 compensation after he admitted actual bodily harm.

The judge, Recorder Richard Woolfall, also told the 56-year-old to do 120 hours' unpaid community work.

He said: "You did smack him in the head with a full wine bottle. It could have been a lot worse.

"It is clear you were frustrated that Mr Mosely, in doing what your partner asked, was not helping.

"You must be as disappointed as anybody to find yourself in the dock of a court at the age of 57."

Jonathan Harley, mitigating, said Burlinson, of Hunstanworth Road, Darlington, reacted badly.

"He has never been in trouble before and the overwhelming likelihood is he won't appear in court again."