A "Good Samaritan" who had offered a roof over his head to a friend changed his tune when the friend didn't move out as had been arranged.

Blackburn magistrates heard James Andrew Johnstone believed his "guest" had left three days earlier.

He launched a sustained attack on the other man when he came home to find him in his house.

Johnstone, 40, of Wain Court, Livingstone Road, Blackburn, was convicted after a trial of assaulting Lee Flynn. He was made subject to a community order for 18 months with 100 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £100 compensation, £90 victim surcharge and £50 costs.

Paul Huxley, prosecuting, said Mr Flynn said he was in the process of moving out having found his own property. He was in his bedroom at night when Johnstone came home the worse for drink.

The defendant kicked open the other man's bedroom door.

"Mr Flynn demanded to know what he was doing and Johnstone said he would do what he wanted because it was his house," said Mr Huxley. "He ran at him and started hitting him repeatedly in the face. Mr Flynn tried to defend himself but found it difficult because he had recently broken some fingers."

Richard Prew, defending, said the two men had known each other for about 20 years and his client had allowed the other man to stay at his house.

"He had originally been brought to the property by the police who had removed him from a situation," said Mr Prew.

"My client allowed him to stay, rent free, for three months. At the time of this incident he had moved out and was not welcome at the property any longer."