A man has been ordered to pay compensation after drunkenly assaulting a mother and son who had given him a place to stay.

Suffolk Magistrates' Court heard how Philip Harper, 46, of Addington Road, Trimley St Mary, had been living with the mother and her 18-year-old son at their home for around three weeks when the incident happened.

Harper, a former neighbour of the duo, was living at the address in Manwick Road, Felixstowe, "out of a goodwill gesture" as he needed a place to stay, Wayne Ablett, prosecutor, said.

The court heard how the mother and son returned home on September 5 to find Harper smelling of alcohol and stumbling around the house, and he became angry for no reason.

He approached the son and asked, "Do you think you're hard?" before shoving him to the shoulder and throwing a punch at him.

The son managed to evade the punch and Harper then fell over the kitchen table, magistrates heard.

The son then ran to his bedroom and Harper grabbed the mother's wrists.

Harper then went into the son's bedroom, swearing at him as the 18-year-old climbed out of the window to get into the garden.

He then fled to his neighbour's house for safety, the court heard.

After Harper was arrested by police, the mother and son went back into the home and found a wooden chair, worth around £20, had been damaged.

An LG television in the son's bedroom, worth £200, had also been damaged.

The court heard that Harper appeared to be angry with the son and in his drunken state he grabbed the mother by the wrist to reason with her.

Harper, who has seven previous convictions, appeared before magistrates on Thursday charged with two counts of assault by beating and two offences of criminal damage.

He previously pleaded guilty to all charges at the same court on October 29.

Magistrates ordered Harper to pay the mother and son £50 each in compensation, and £225 for the television and chair.

He was also handed a 12-month community order and must not attend the Manwick Road home.

Harper was also ordered to pay a £90 victim surcharge and to complete up to 35 Rehabilitation Activity (RA) days.