A MAN felt betrayed after reading a letter which detailed how his former girlfriend had cheated on him with his best friend, Blackburn magistrates were told..

The court heard that Christopher McManamon was incensed by the contents of the letter, sent from Preston prison, which revealed they had been carrying on behind his back for "months" and laughing at him for not suspecting the truth.

McManamon's anger erupted in violence and resulted in a prolonged attack on Correen McWilliams, his former girlfriend.

McManamon, 27, of Berry Lane, Longridge, pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm. He was made subject to a community rehabilitation order for 12 months and ordered to pay £300 compensation and £75 costs.

Mike Cunningham, prosecuting, said McManamon had a conviction from January last year for an assault on Miss McWilliams which came at the end of their relationship.Since then she had formed a new relationship with a man called Paul Hayhurst. They remained friends and the night before the assault he had stayed at her flat along with a number of other people.

The next morning she went to the shop. "When she returned she was met by McManamon in what could best be described as an anxious state," said Mr Cunningham. "It would appear a letter had been delivered from her boyfriend in prison and he had read that. It didn't go down too well because it was that letter that led to the prolonged assault."

He said McManamon banged Miss McWilliams head against the wall repeatedly as he was screaming about the letter.

He continued to slap her about the head and she was again thrown against the walls.

"He followed her into another room, smashing furniture as he went, and then picked up a Stanley knife," said Mr Cunningham.

"She was very, very frightened. He then said; "Let's give Yok something to look at when he gets out."

Andrew Church-Taylor, said there were two 'threads' affecting his client's behaviour and both came together on the morning of the offenc.

The night before McManamon had bumped into his father who he had not seen for five years and they had drunk heavily.

Mr Church-Taylor said his client estimated that he had drunk 20 pints of Stella Artois and gone to Miss McWilliams house where he had collapsed.

The following morning he woke in Miss McWilliams bed and when he checked his pockets found there was £200 missing.

Next day the postman delivered a letter and McManamon recognised the writing as being that of his best friend, Paul Hayhurst.

"He had been assured by Miss McWilliams that she no longer had any contact with him," said Mr Church-Taylor. "He felt betrayed and when he opened the letter the betrayal was complete. There was reference to the relationship that had gone on behind his back. It had not just been one night, as he had believed, but had gone on for months. Not only did it reveal that, it also revealed that they had been spending his hard earned money behind his back. The letter described him as being a "dick-head" for not realising what was going on."

Mr Church-Taylor said that when Miss McWilliams returned from the shop he still had the letter in his hand. "He immediately confronted her and the argument developed which resulted in the assault," said Mr Church-Taylor. "It would seem she was able to defend herself because at some stage she head-butted him."