A JEALOUS young man went on a rampage striking his girlfriend in the face and then brandishing a kitchen knife at her new lover.

James Harper, 21, of Victoria House, Northwich, was jailed for 15 months after admitting he assaulted three people because of a jealous temper.

He lashed out at his girlfriend outside the Cock O' Witton pub on March 9 because he saw her talking to a male friend.

'He punched her in the face with such a force she fell to the ground,' said Andrew Jebb at Chester Crown Court on Friday.

Mr Jebb, prosecuting, said after the assault Amanda Higgins told Harper that their two-week relationship was over and went back into the pub where she continued talking to her friend, Darren Clapton.

Mr Clapton noticed the marks on her face and followed Harper out of the pub where an argument erupted.

Harper pulled an iron bar wrapped in a sock out of his pocket and struck Mr Clapton over the eye with his weapon.

That night Miss Higgins spent the night with Martin Childs, who also lives at a flat in Victoria House. The following morning the couple went to Harper's flat to collect her belongings.

Mr Jebb said: 'The defendant ran at Mr Childs and punched him in the head and Mr Childs returned to his own flat.'

Harper then ran at his former girlfriend and hit her on the nose. Miss Higgins needed hospital treatment for her injury.

Four days later, Mr Childs was at his flat with his friend Mr Clapton when Harper knocked at the kitchen window. Harper brandished a knife at Mr Childs when he went outside to investigate and chased him.

Mr Jebb said:'The defendant shouted 'I'm going to kill you, I'm going to cut you up'. He then shouted at Mr Clapton: 'You've had your picking, he is going to end up in a box'.'

After his subsequent arrest, Harper admitted having a jealous temper. John Oaks, defending, said: 'My client has not had an easy life. He suffered the effects of his parents' break up and was the sole carer of his father when he had a breakdown.'

Harper also spiralled into depression when a previous girlfriend died. Mr Oaks said: 'He was presrcibed medication to deal with his acute depression.

When he formed this new relationship he thought it would be a stable one, and when that fell apart he lost the rock that he was clinging to.'

Mr Recorder Farmer said: 'You assaulted a female victim twice and you must learn the lesson that violence doesn't pay.

'The injuries she sustained have made it impossible for me to deal with you in any other way then a custodial sentence.'

Harper had a criminal record when he went before the court last week. His convictions include burglary, shoplifting and a variety of driving offences.

He will serve his sentence in a young offenders' institution.