A MAN ended up in a pub car park brawl after finding his ex-partner in another man's car.

Blackburn magistrates heard Craig Lee Calvert came off second best in the scrap and claimed he was the victim.

But the magistrates ruled after a trial that Calvert was the aggressor and had started the fight.

Calvert, 59, of Greave Fold, Bacup, was convicted after trial of assaulting Russell Malone and Claire Rawstron and stealing a bunch of flowers belonging to Claire Rawstron.

He was made subject to a community order for 12 months with 200 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £100 compensation to Miss Rawstron, £200 to Mr Malone, £400 costs and £85 victim surcharge. He was made subject to a restraining order for 18 months which prohibits him from having contact with the aggrieved or entering any Ladbrokes or Coral bookmakers shops in Lancashire.

Philippa White, prosecuting, Miss Rawstron and the defendant had been in a relationship for eight years until they split in 2016.

"There has been a protracted history of incidents since that date," said Mrs White.

She said Miss Rawstron worked for Ladbrokes where Mr Malone was an area manager.

On April 9 they had met up and he had bought her some flowers. They were sitting in his car when the defendant turned up. There was a verbal altercation before he took the flowers out of her car and drove off.

On May 10 Miss Rawstron and Mr Malone had again met on a pub car park and where in his car when Calvert turned up and parked in front of them. He shouted at Mr Malone to get out of the car and when he did started throwing punches at him.

Mr Malone started throwing punches back and in the course of the fight Miss Rawstron was struck by the defendant.

"She said she didn't know whether that blow was deliberate and he was convicted on the basis he had been reckless," said Mrs White.

"Mr Malone eventually managed to overpower the defendant and restrain him on the floor. He was saying he had had enough and eventually Mr Malone released him and he went to his car and drove off."

Mark Williams, defending, Calvert had taken the flowers because he believed they were the ones he had sent his ex-partner for her birthday and he was angry when he saw her in a compromising position with the other man.

He said Calvert denied the assaults because he claimed Mr Malone had thrown the first punch and he had acted in self defence.

"He is not proud of some of the things he said to Miss Rawstron which he says led to Mr Malone defending her honour," said Mr Williams.

"While my client was being held in a headlock he says Miss Rawstron came over, hit him in the face, and said she hated him."