A "jealous" Suffolk man who thought his former partner was seeing another man went to her flat while she was asleep and stole her mobile phone, a court has heard.

During the incident 34-year-old Andrew Maltby woke the woman up and slapped her causing her to fall over, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

The stolen phone was recovered from a hedge a month later, said David Baird, prosecuting.

Maltby of Leaders Way, Newmarket, admitted offences of assault by beating and theft which were committed on November 7 last year.

Recorder Graham Huston adjourned the case until May 23 for a pre-sentence report and to allow the prosecution to draft a restraining order.

He said there were a number of “worrying conditions” about both offences and described Maltby as displaying a “strong jealous and suspicious streak.”

Benedict Peers for Maltby said his client had been in custody since November and had served the equivalent of an 11-month prison sentence.

He said Maltby had some mental health issues.