A HAMMER-WIELDING husband, accompanied by his father, smashed his way into a man's home because he believed the owner was having a relationship with his estranged wife.

Fuelled by jealousy, Darren Nutbeen used the hammer to break through the man’s door in Quayside Road, Bitterne.

Once inside he found his wife and then used the hammer to hit the man in the head.

The man was also punched in the face by Nutbeen’s father, Clifford, who also kicked his daughter-in-law in the hip.

Appearing at Southampton Crown Court, Darren, 34 was jailed for three-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to aggravated burglary.

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Clifford Nutbeen, 58, who pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) and one count of assault by beating, was given a six month sentence, suspended for two years.

The court heard the incident took place on January 20.

Siobhan Lindsey, prosecuting, told the court how Darren Nutbeen and wife’s “unhappy relationship” had ended a fortnight earlier – after eight years together.

Ms Lindsey said that the night before the incident, Nutbeen's wife had gone out with friends in Southampton and had received a number of “jealous” messages from Darren Nutbeen.

Ms Lindsey said the victim was later warned by a text from her mother that he had dropped off their child and was coming to find her.

The court heard Nutbeen's wife's group agreed to go back to her friend’s house, after meeting while out in town, and she stayed at his because she did not want to return home to Nutbeen.

The break-in then took place around 11am the next morning.

Mitigating for Darren Nutbeen, Nick Wells said his client had brought the hammer to gain access to the property and had not intended to use it as a weapon.

He said the man’s injuries, which included scratch marks to his face, were relatively minor.

Mitigating for Clifford Nutbeen, Graham Gilbert, said his client had meant to calm his son down but was “caught in the slipstream” after finding his daughter-in-law in the property.

In sentencing, Judge Peter Henry said: “You [Darren] had been in an unhappy relationship and as far as she was concerned had split two weeks before this.

“You thought the relationship still existed when on January 19 you went out concerned that she was seeing someone else.

“You were texting her trying to find out who she was with, undoubtedly showing jealous traits.

“Her group went back to [the male victim's house] and she stayed there. I’m not going to decided whether she was in another relationship, the fact is that you believed she was."

He added: “I am prepared to accept that you had grounds to suspect your wife was being unfaithful, but there is no excuse for what you did.”

Judge Peter Henry sentenced Darren Nutbeen, who was bailed to Hampton Park, Littlehampton, West Sussex, after his arrest, to 42 months in prison.

Clifford Nutbeen, of Calbourne, Netley, who was given a suspended sentence, was also ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work and pay £500 compensation.