A man launched a hammer attack on a person he believed had been sleeping with his girlfriend.

Stephen Thomas Holland admitted a wounding charge – but avoided immediate imprisonment.

Judge Niclas Parry said it was a case of less said, the better.

Holland, 35, of Copper Beech Road in Broughton, received a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to carry out 150 hours unpaid work.

Barrister Matthew Curtis, prosecuting at Mold Crown Court, said police received a call at about 6.30pm on November 1 to report a fight outside the home of Richard Mistiades.

He saw Holland rush towards him and he was scared because he thought Holland had heard rumours that he had been sleeping with his girlfriend.

As he turned intending to run away Mr Mistiades felt two or three blows to the head with a heavy object.

There was a struggle when both men fell through a hedge onto a lawn and it was then he realised Holland had a hammer.

Holland was on top of him accusing him of sleeping with his girlfriend.

Mr Mistiades asked his girlfriend to get help and he then defended himself,

He punched and headbutted him to stop the attack and Holland was restrained until the police arrived.

Phillip Clemo, defending, said there had been provocation.

He said Holland had convictions but not for violence and it was clear the injuries he suffered were greater than that of the complainant.

Judge Parry said there was an unsavoury background but added: “There are some cases where the least said, the better.”

He said that anybody who sought to sort out private disputes in public using weapons “must expected a custodial sentence”.

But he added that Holland, a working man, had pleaded guilty and it was clear he ended up with worse injuries than Mr Mistiades .

Whatever his grievance about alleged infidelity “it must never be resolved by you using weapons,” he said.

The judge said he took into consideration that Holland had no previous convictions for violence and had not been in trouble since 2014.

Holland initially denied alternative charges of wounding and wounding with intent.

But following a break in the proceedings he returned to the dock and admitted the wounding charge which was accepted by the prosecution.