A late night intruder who broke into a couple’s flat and assaulted them has been handed a suspended sentence.

The man who lived in the flat bashed Shaun David Bignell, of North Shore Road, Ramsey, on the head with a vase that smashed.

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes told Bignell: ’What on earth possessed you to think you could resolve any issues by bursting into the premises at 4am?

’It must have been extremely frightening for both victims. These offences are akin to a domestic violence incident.’

Bignell, aged 29, admitted two counts of common assault, one of damaging property and one of indecent assault.

He was sentenced him to 30 weeks’ custody, suspended for two years, and also made him the subject of a two-year Suspended Sentence Supervision Order. He was also ordered to pay £345 compensation for a door he damaged and £250 to each of the victims.

We previously reported how Bignell was heard banging at the couple’s door at 3.50am on November 17.

The man got out of bed and found Bignell had broken in and was stood in the doorway.

Bignell hit the man, who fell to the floor.

Bignell was said to have put his knee on the man’s chest and pushed him down with his hands on his neck.

The woman called 999 and tried to get Bignell off her partner.

But Bignell was then said to have grabbed her and tried to take her out of the flat with him.

The row continued as Bignell again launched himself at the man in the flat, then bit his toe and stamped on his knee.

Bignell was said to have shouted: ’I’m going to break his knee.’

The court heard he wolfwhistled as he put his hands inside the woman’s onesie, before getting on top of her and pinning her down.

The man then smashed a vase over Bignell’s head in an attempt to stop him before the couple managed to blockade Bignell outside the flat.

Police arrived and found Bignell lying on his back on the pavement outside with a cut to his head.

He was taken to hospital and later arrested.

The couple told the police they had been ’petrified’ by Bignell’s behaviour and the man was said to have suffered swelling to his knee.

In a police interview Bignell handed in three prepared statements denying the offences, saying he had been hit over the head by the man in an unprovoked attack.

Defence advocate David Clegg said: ’The most serious injury was a four-inch gash to Mr Bignell’s head which required gluing shut.

’So he was the one who came off worst from the altercation.

’We would submit this was at the lower end of indecent assaults. It was over clothes and brief.

’The victim immediately pulled back.’

Mr Clegg said Bignell had moved into a property across the road that same day but would no longer be living there.

The court heard that Bignell had spent 67 days on remand.

He was banned from buying or being sold alcohol for 12 months.