A MAN who forced his way into the home of a love rival and attacked him was caught red handed by police.

Prosecutor Keith Ballinger told Swindon magistrates the victim was at home on February 9 waiting for a friend to turn up when he heard knocking at the front door and realised Leon Chambers was on the other side.

Opening the door slightly, he was suddenly pushed back, collided with the ironing board and fell.

The next thing he knew the police were there.

Mr Ballinger explained officers had been in the area conducting a missing person inquiry and knocking on doors.

They had seen Chambers outside the house knocking on the door then appearing to force it open.

“They said they could hear a lot of noise and raised voices. So they went there and through the front door they saw the defendant holding the victim against a wall using his right arm and punching him in the stomach and chest,” he said.

“He was heard saying ‘I don’t care if the police see this’.”

Chambers was arrested and taken to custody, but even then threatened to get the victim when he left the police station, said the prosecutor.

But in an interview he said he had no bad feelings towards the victim and would apologise to him next time they saw each other.

Chambers, 30, of Bilborough Drive, admitted assault by beating.

The court heard he had a previous conviction for two assaults in 2016.

Defence solicitor Sam Arif said: “The problem is that the victim is sleeping with his partner.”

The victim, who lived in the flat below, was in court to listen to the proceedings and before the case was called on both men had been outside the courthouse where the tension had risen.

She described how she had stepped between them to split them up and her client had kept repeating he didn’t want any trouble. “Yes there is wrongdoing, he had put his hands up to that,” she told the bench.

“He is a young man who was in an eight-year relationship with someone.

“She formed a relationship with, not only the victim but other men during that period.”

He was no longer in the relationship and had been feeling down.

Chambers accepted the assault was not the right way to deal with it. He had mental health issues including ADHD and was on medication for psychosis, but he no longer had drug problems.

He was making steps to better himself and wanted to go back to working as a welder and plasterer. He was also considering moving home.

The magistrates fined him £80 with a £30 victim surcharge and £40 prosecution costs.

They made no order for compensation.