A man who violently attacked a friend of his former girlfriend has been jailed.

Samuel Watchorn carried out the drunken attack after seeing the victim cycling near Play Close Park, in Melton, in May.

Leicester Crown Court was told Watchorn offered to fight the man and punched him above his left ear when he refused.

The victim suffered a gash which had to be treated in hospital.

The court also heard details of an assault a month earlier in which Watchorn (21) admitted knocking his girlfriend unconscious and hacking off her hair with a pair of scissors.

In that attack, he had returned from a night out to find the woman in what he believed to be a "compromising" position with his brother.

For this, he was handed a four-month custodial sentence, suspended for two years.

In the latest case, Watchorn, of Sandy Lane, Scalford, Melton, pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm.

He was jailed for nine months and ordered to serve the four months of the suspended sentence consecutively.

Thomas Elmer, defending, said Watchorn had been repeatedly threatened and attacked in Melton after word spread about what he had done to his former girlfriend.

It was "in that context" that Watchorn attacked the man on the bike.

Mr Elmer said: "It was one punch to the side of the head after the pressure got too much for his self-control, clearly influenced by the fact he had had too much to drink.

"He had been drinking heavily to block out what was happening."

Mr Elmer said Watchorn had no previous convictions before the incident involving his girlfriend.

He said Watchorn had sought help for his drinking and an aunt on the Isle of Wight had offered to house him after his release from jail.

Recorder Amjad Nawaz told him: "You punched your brother and punched your girlfriend before dragging her across the room and cutting her hair.

"You jumped to the wrong conclusion, in my opinion, but the court dealt with you on the basis you believed something untoward was happening.

"Within weeks, you committed this second offence. It is clear drink played a substantial part on both occasions.

"In my judgement, this offence is so serious that only custody is appropriate."