A 35-YEAR-OLD man who had been separated from his ex-partner for two years turned up at her home and assaulted her and her new boyfriend.

Blackburn magistrates heard during the disturbance Liam Littlefair was head butted by his former partner as she tried to defend herself and the new man in her life.

Littlefair challenged the other man to fight him for Kara Hartley saying 'whoever won could keep her'.

"It is 2017, not the middle ages," said Catherine Allan, prosecuting. "Incredibly they have been separated for two years."

Littlefair, of Burnley Road, Briercliffe, pleaded guilty to assaulting Kara Hartley and Wesley Sturdy and using threatening behaviour.

He was made subject to a community order with a nine month drug rehabilitation requirement, a curfew between 7pm and 7am for two months and ordered to pay £50 compensation to each of the victims, £85 costs and £85 victim surcharge.

He was made subject to a restraining order for two years prohibiting him from having contact with Miss Hartley or Mr Sturdy.

Miss Allan said Miss Hartley was at home when Littlefair walked into the house.

He went upstairs to the bathroom and punched Mr Sturdy who ended up in the bath. Miss Hartley was shouting at him to get out of her house and when he threw another punch at Mr Sturdy she got in between them and took the blow.

She eventually got him out of the house but he grabbed her and pushed her against a parked car.

"She then headbutted him in desperation," said Miss Allan. "There were children in the front room of the house and they were very distressed and screaming."

Trevor Grice, prosecuting, said it was clear his client was having difficulty coming to terms with the end of the relationship and the fact she had found someone new.

"He blames the break up on his addiction to cocaine and he would welcome any help with addressing that problem," said Mr Grice.