A man described in court as a "nasty piece of work" grabbed his ex-partner's stepdad by the throat and bit her mum's thumb in a scuffle when he came to collect his belongings.

Joel Plumb, 46, of Plantation Lane, Newtown, was convicted of two charges of assault by beating during a trial in January. This week he was ordered to complete a 12-month community and restraining orders and must pay £1,242 in court costs and fines.

Welshpool Magistrates's Court heard that on April 24 last year Plumb, who was in a relationship at the time with Sasha Dorrell, was caught going through her cupboard where she hid a bottle.

Helen Tench, prosecuting, said: "The defendant became irate because he didn’t know she had it. He left and she locked the door."

Ms Dorrell's mum Simone Rowe and stepdad Thomas Pembridge were at her house when Plumb asked if he could pick up his belongings but Ms Dorrell said he could come back the next day.

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The court was told a "thud" was heard in the rear garden. Mrs Tench said: "Both victims saw the defendant before Sasha did and stood to protect her, pushing him back.

"Thomas Pembridge said the defendant became more physical when he took hold of him by the throat. Sasha saw arms being swung around but couldn’t see who was hitting who."

Ms Dorrell then saw blood on her stepdad's face from a cut near his eye and her mum's thumb had been bitten causing a gash.

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During a police interview, Plumb said he was assaulted first by Mr Pembridge claiming he grabbed his throat before he hit his ex-partner's stepdad in self-defence. He told police that Ms Rowe was trying to separate the pair and "a hand appeared from nowhere" and her thumb caught his mouth.

In a statement read by the prosecution, Mr Pembridge said "nasty piece of work" Plumb was "out of control" and "doesn’t care who he hurts".

Plumb's solicitor Mr Rashid said: "Thomas Pembridge first had hold of my client by the scruff before my client grabbed him and accepts there was one punch and no further assaults on Thomas Pembridge.

"The bite on Simone Rowe, that was quite dark outside albeit the victim said she had hold of the defendant and he deliberately put his head down and did a quick bite."

Mr Rashid added the there had been no incidents between the engineer, who had been out of trouble for more than 20 years, and the victims since April last year.

"He’s had certain hostility and is going to move out of the Newtown area as soon as he can," he said.

Magistrates ordered that Plumb complete a 12-month community order with 30 rehabilitation requirement days, and a 12-month restraining order not to contact Ms Rowe and Mr Pembridge or be within 100 metres of their home.

Plumb must also pay a £227 fine, £95 victim surcharge and £620 court costs, and £150 each to Ms Rowe and Mr Pembridge which is a total of £1,242.