A MAN from Whitchurch forced his way into his ex-girlfriend's house and punched another man unconscious, a court heard.

Aaron Rogers, of Smallbrook Road, Whitchurch, had armed himself with a hammer for the early morning assault.

The 21-year-old was said to have been angry and jealous after seeing a picture posted on social media.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court this month Rogers was given a 21-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work and complete a rehabilitation programme.

Rogers had pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault. A charge of aggravated burglary was withdrawn.

The court heard Rogers went to his former girlfriend's house in Whitchurch after seeing a picture on social media taken from another man's car.

John Oates, prosecuting, said the defendant had been in an 'on-off' relationship for 18 months with the woman before his moment of madness.

He said the woman had phoned the victim to ask him to pick her up from a night out in Manchester on October 27 last year.

The next morning Rogers turned up at her house at around 8.30am.

"He started issuing threats about what he was going to do. He raised his arms to show a handle in his trousers. She feared it was a knife," said Mr Oates.

Rogers demanded to know who was there before forcing his way in and going upstairs and punching the man in the head.

Mr Oates said the woman saw Rogers stamp on the victim's head and she suffered an injury to her lip when he pushed past her.

He told the court Rogers had fought off police to escape arrest before they later caught up with him in Whitchurch town centre.

Debra White, for Rogers, said she said there was no evidence Rogers had used the hammer.