ALTHOUGH he had assaulted his wife after she had locked him out of the house, Stephen O'Riordan had been forgiven and accepted back in to the home, a court was told.

O'Riordan, a 38-year-old car park attendant, of Ferngrove, Bury, had previously admitted assaulting his wife, Mary. The case had been adjourned for reports.

After reading reports and hearing that O'Riordan was a man of previous good character now reconciled with his wife, magistrates at Bury decided to make him subject to a community rehabilitation order for six months and ordered him to pay £43 court costs.

Miss Enza Chiappi, prosecuting, said O'Riordan and his wife had been out drinking but she went home early because of his change of mood as a result of consuming alcohol. O'Riordan returned home later to find he had been locked out.

He started to knock loudly on the door and because of the disturbance to their four-year-old child, the complainant let him in. He was abusive, slapped her across the face and grabbed her by the wrists. She suffered soreness and bruising as a result of the attack.

The police were contacted and O'Riordan admitted: "I pulled her by the arm."

Defending solicitor, Mr Joe Foxler said the defendant knew he had drunk too much and deeply regretted his behaviour. O'Riordan, who had been suffering depression at the time, had returned home after being forgiven by his wife.

"He is not a well man and he has no previous record of domestic violence," Mr Foxler pointed out.

Mr Foxler had said that O'Riordan had taken steps to get help by consulting his GP and arranging for counselling.