A MAN headbutted and slashed his stepmother's lover with a knife after learning the pair were having an affair, a court heard.

Mark Freer, 33, flew into a rage and confronted Joseph MacPartland at his home over the affair.

Teesside Crown Court heard that Mr MacPartland was secretly seeing Freer's stepmother Carol, who was married but in the process of getting a divorce.

The affair continued in secret but, when it was eventually discovered, it delivered a "crushing blow" to both families.

Aisha Wadoodi, prosecuting, said Freer, of Queen Street, Lackenby, near Redcar, had been suspicious of Mr MacPartland, who was also married, but he had previously denied the affair.

Ms Wadoodi said the attack on 52-year-old Mr MacPartland on November 13 last year left him cut across the neck by Freer and needing hospital treatment.

Freer pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Peter Makepeace, mitigating, said there were "emotionally charged" circumstances surrounding the discovery of the affair and the subsequent attack.

He said: "The defendant had been assured on a number of occasions that there was no extra-marital affair going on.

"When the position became clear that affair had been going on, it devastated many people."

Mr Makepeace said that Freer had been incredibly stupid, but had not suggested for one second that he had an excuse for what occured.

Judge Peter Bowers said that Freer had let his emotions get the better of him and attacked Mr MacPartland in a terrifying manner.

He jailed Freer for two years, and nine months.