A BEREAVED step-father knocked a woman's teeth out after she asked him to turn music down, a court heard.

Graham Stewart, 41, of Langley Avenue, Thornaby, admitted a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm to Jillian Bryden and common assault against her husband, Peter, on April 7, last year.

Michael O'Neill, prosecuting, said Mr and Mrs Bryden, of Cobden Street, Thornaby, had gone to a neighbour's house at 11.15pm to ask them to turn down music.

Stewart, a relative of the neighbour, headbutted Mr Bryden and then hit Mrs Bryden in the face, causing her to lose two teeth.

Greg Purcell, for Stewart, said his client had, that night, been making funeral arrangements for his partner's son, who had died aged 22. He said the attack came in a few seconds of madness.

Judge Peter Fox jailed Stewart for four months