A boyfriend flew into a rage, punching staff at a local supermarket store, after believing they had verbally abused his partner.

Joe Brandscombe, 23, left a member of staff at Tesco Express, Shafter Road, Dagenham, with a large cut to the lip after repeatedly punching him in the face.

The defendant, of Tredegar Road, Bow, was spared jail at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court yesterday in order to pay compensation to the victim, said District Judge Gary Lucie.

He sentenced Brandscombe to a sixth month community order with curfew and ordered him to pay £150 in compensation.

Brandscombe, who was convicted after trial, was said to have acted after believing management staff had been abusive towards his girlfriend when she went to the store to collect items she had ordered online, said Prosecutor Andria Scantelbury

He went into the stock room at the store and began pushing and punching the victim, she added, before being restrained by three members of staff who also called police.

DJ Lucie also ordered Brandscombe to pay a £60 victim surcharge and £190 prosecution costs