A LITTLEPORT man has been jailed for 10 months for his continual pattern of violent behaviour . David McDermott, of Longfield Road, appeared at Ely Magistrates Court on Tuesday, where he admitted assaulting two men after a night out last month. Ryan Szu

A LITTLEPORT man has been jailed for 10 months for his "continual pattern of violent behaviour".

David McDermott, of Longfield Road, appeared at Ely Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, where he admitted assaulting two men after a night out last month.

Ryan Szulc's chest was bruised and Jack Butler was poked in the eye after 40-year-old McDermott lost his temper on September 16 after the group of friends had been out drinking in Ely.

Neither of the men was seriously hurt during the incident, which occurred outside McDermott's home, but a track record of drunken violence meant McDermott was already subject to a community rehabilitation order and a conditional discharge for previous assaults.

The court heard that McDermott assaulted four people in April last year, including his partner, her daughter, and the police officer who arrested him.

Ryan Sculz was also assaulted during this incident, when McDermott head-butted him.

McDermott was warned by magistrates in June last year that he was lucky to avoid prison for the violent attacks, and was ordered to attend meetings to deal with his behaviour - two of which he had missed before Tuesday's appearance, which resulted in further charges of breaching his community order and his conditional discharge.

Mitigating, Robert Milsom said McDermott has a personality disorder and that his behaviour on September 16 was best described as "reckless".

"He does suffer from a personality disorder which prevents him

from seeing another person's point of view.

"My client has particular problems with anger management and misuse of alcohol."

He said McDermott has tried to be an active and responsible member of the community, and said rehabilitation courses had failed to get off the ground.

Chairman of the magistrates, Maggie Holling, said McDermott's community rehabilitation order had proved unworkable and said he had demonstrated a pattern of violent behaviour over recent years.

"We feel we have no alternative but to impose custodial sentences on these matters before us today," she said.

McDermott was sentenced to a total of 10 months in prison for the two assaults and the breaches of his community rehabilitation order and conditional discharge.