A SON’S anger at his mother’s extra marital affair led him to break her new partner’s cheekbone, York Crown Court heard.

But farm worker Kristian Scott Pickering was spared jail after the victim asked the court for leniency.

Nick Adlington, prosecuting, said Pickering acted after his father broke down in tears over the “affair” between his wife and Darren Southon.

The couple had been married for 30 years. On the same day, October 4, the son confronted Mr Southon outside the Bay Horse, in Burythorpe, near Malton, punched him and kicked him as he lay on the ground, breaking his cheekbone.

Pickering later told police it was one of the first times he had seen his father cry.

In a letter to the court, Mr Southon, whom Mr Adlington said did not need surgery, pleaded for Pickering not be sent to jail.

“I have heard that Kristian is genuinely remorseful and regrets his actions,” his letter said.

“I do not think in this case prison is the answer. However, he does need to be held to account for his actions.”

Pickering, 24, of Burythorpe, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm and was given a nine-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months on condition that he does 100 hours’ unpaid work.

For Pickering, Glenn Parsons handed in three character references.

Pickering was “very ashamed of his conduct”, he said and that he knew that his actions were wrong regardless of the background behind the offence.

“He wishes for the family to move on and to put the whole sorry affair behind them,” said Mr Parsons.