A JEALOUS man attempted to punch his friend in a fit of jealousy, before smashing a car windscreen and taking his former partner’s car, a court has heard.

Steven Jones, 37 and of Llys Bran, Llangollen but living in Old Mill Avenue, Morda when the offences took place, appeared at Telford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, November 16, charged with common assault, as well as causing criminal damage to a car windscreen and with taking a vehicle without consent. He was also charged with driving a car without a licence or insurance.

The court heard how on the morning of June 9, Jones visited his former partner’s house. The pair had been in a relationship for around four years but had broken up around three weeks previously.

He could not find his ex at the address and took her car, a Vauxhall Vectra, so he could search Oswestry and the surrounding areas, but was not legally qualified to drive the car.

He returned to the address at around 8.30pm, entered property carrying a three-foot length of wood, but found his former partner in the property with one of his friends. This sent Jones into a rage, and he attempted to throw a punch at his friend, which was blocked.

Jones was removed from the house by his ex-partner’s son and using a different piece of wood, smashed the windscreen of his car, a Citroen C2, before again driving off in his ex-partner’s car. He was stopped and arrested by police at around 10pm, and admitted to what he had done under interview, before going on to apologise.

Defending Jones, solicitor Kate Cooper said that her client had felt his friend had “betrayed” him and that he was struggling with drug use at the time.

She said: “He came home and he reacted badly to him being there as he mistakenly believed they were forming a relationship.

“He felt that his friend had betrayed him and has accepted that he did swing a punch towards him.

“The whole situation was made impulsively but he has cooperated with police.

“He’s not someone who has been in trouble recently, drugs have affected his behaviour of late. He was using crack cocaine, but since then he’s moved to new address, has a new partner and a baby on the way. Things have changed dramatically, there are no drug issues any more.

“But given the nature of the events probation would be necessary. He’s working through an agency so would be able to fit in unpaid work.”

Jones was given 120 hours unpaid work, with an order to pay £225 compensation.