A CHEATING wife was punched in the face after telling her husband she was about to have sex with him for the final time, a court heard.

Blackburn magistrates heard the bedroom bust up came after the couple had returned from a night out with Marilyn Jebb's 63-year-old lover.

The court heard that Mrs Jebb had already told her husband of 30 years that she planned to leave him for the man she had fallen for while they shared their passion for bird watching.

And while David Philip Jebb had initially been able to cope with the revelation of her new love, he saw red when she gave him the last-time sex ultimatum.

Jebb, 54, of Sumpter Croft, Penwortham, pleaded guilty to assaulting Marilyn Jebb causing her actual bodily harm. He was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £100 compensation and £70 costs by the magistrates who said they felt there had been some provocation.

Emma Kehoe, prosecuting, said that shortly before Christmas Mrs Jebb had told her husband she had been having an affair and that she intended to leave him. "Initially, he took the news well, and he even socialised with her and her new lover," said Mrs Kehoe.

On December 27 the three of them went for a drink and at the end of the evening Mr and Mrs Jebb returned to the marital home in Higher Road, Longridge. "He requested sex and she agreed but said it would be for the last time," said Mrs Kehoe. "At that stage he lost his temper and punched her in the face. She screamed out and her 19-year-old son came into the room and dragged him off her."

Mrs Kehoe said Mrs Jebb needed hospital treatment for a cut under her eye. When interviewed Jebb said he could not remember exactly what he had done but he did remember seeing a lot of blood.

Emma Morrissey, defending, said Jebb had been totally demoralised when his wife confessed to having an affair over the previous four and a half months. He hoped they could come through and patch things up but now accepted that the marriage is over.

She said the other man was 63-year-old Bernard O'Donnell, a married man and a long standing family friend. Mrs Jebb had started to go bird watching with him the previous spring and their affair started as a result of their shared hobby.

"My client was trying to deal with the matter in a mature way but on the night of the incident he accepts that he lost control," said Miss Morrissey. "They were going to have a sexual encounter and when she said this would be the last occasion he was provoked into assaulting her. He says he only hit her twice and he never intended to cause the injuries."

Miss Morrissey said Jebb, a lorry driver, was currently living at the home of his sister-in-law, but would be moving back into the marital home when his wife left to set up home with Mr O'Donnell.