A MAN assaulted a tattoo parlour manager because he  did not want his girlfriend to get a tattoo, a court heard.

Gareth John Green pushed the manager as he tried to get into a back room to stop his 18-year-old girlfriend from going through with her tattoo, magistrates in Newton Aycliffe were told.

Prosecutor Blair Martin said Green, 24, of General Bucher Court, Bishop Auckland, had gone to a tattoo shop in the town and confronted the shop owner.

Clive Booth, mitigating, said Green had been told that one of the tattoo artists was an "unsavoury" character.

Mr Booth said Green’s girlfriend is a vulnerable person and he feared for her welfare.

He added that Green, who had admitted assault,  had pushed the manager in response to himself being pushed.

A probation officer told the court that Green suffered a stroke aged 15 which left him with brain damage, part of which means he struggles to control his temper.

Magistrates gave Green a six month community order with supervision and ordered him to pay a £60 victim surcharge.