Judge tells man convicted of domestic violence to go to the gym

A man who attacked his girlfriend after she caught him watching pornography has been ordered to go to the gym as part of his sentence.

Richard Brown turned on his partner during a row at their home after she found him viewing the explicit material in their bedroom while they had guests downstairs. He grabbed her by the hair, hit her over the head and pushed her against a wall while brandishing a garden spade before guests managed to pull him off.

On a previous occasion, the 34-year-old had slapped the mother-of-six about the head during an argument over a video game, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

Brown was spared jail on Tuesday and was instead ordered to go and work out at a gym for 60 hours as part of his punishment. The unemployed IT worker, who had admitted two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, was also given an eight-month jail term, suspended for two years.

Passing sentence, Judge Anthony Goldstaub QC told Brown: "Not everybody who perpetuates domestic violence can expect to be treated so leniently."

Brown, of Hornchurch, Essex, must attend a gym three times a week for an hour for 20 weeks as "an activity requirement" and was also fined £1,000.