A man assaulted his stepfather because he had been abused as a child, a court has heard.

Mark Angell was close to breaking down as he told magistrates how his stepfather, David Phipps, had mentally and physically abused him from the age of three until he left home in his teens.

Angell, 25, appeared before Barnstaple magistrates last week and admitted charges of assault and threatening to cause fear or provocation of violence during two separate incidents in the Devon town on July 13. He was sentenced to 12 months probation for the offences. No order was made to pay costs or compensation.

The court heard that Angell was angered after Mr Phipps was found guilty of offences of cruelty towards him at Exeter Crown Court in January, but walked free after being given a nine-month sentence suspended for two years.

Angell also threatened his half-brother Wayne Phipps with a broken milk bottle and got into a fight which left his half-brother with bruises, cuts and a wrist injury. Angell, who suffered cuts, bruises and a fractured thumb, was arrested shortly after the scuffle.

Rod Ball, defending, said: "Every day since January he [Angell] has felt justice has not been done. It's a daily problem for him. He has a depressive illness and has suffered post traumatic stress as a result of what happened during his childhood."

Used courtesy of the North Devon Journal