THE licensee of an Abertillery pub flew into a rage when he saw his wife naked in a man's flat, Newport crown court has heard this afternoon.

Anthony Morgan, 69, forced his way into the flat and attacked the pair armed with a child's cricket bat.

Morgan, of the Potters pub, Brynithel, Abertillery, admitted a charge of aggravated burglary and was sentenced to nine months imprisonment suspended for a year.

He was also made subject to a 12 months supervision order and ordered to pay £500 cost.

Judge Roderick Denyer told him: "This is quite a serious offence but happily no great damage was done.

"Everyone speaks very highly of you not just as a publican but as a member of the village. You help people. You clearly run a good pub, everyone says so and it would be quite wrong to send you to prison straight away."

Prosecutor John Probert said that Morgan had been married to his wife Elaine "who was significantly younger" for about 11 years but the relationship broke down and she formed a relationship with Stephen Clark, who lived in Six Bells.

On the night of the incident they ordered a Chinese takeaway and took it back to his address to eat.

Part of the meal was cold and Mrs Morgan decided to warm it up and to avoid grease getting on her clothes she took them off and put a towel around herself.

Unknown to the couple Morgan had followed them and when he saw his wife in a state of undress he got into the flat.

He shouted: "I'll kill you you B***** and struck the two with a child's cricket bat.

The towel came off Mrs Morgan.

She was later treated in hospital for a broken nose and Mr Clark for bruising and abrasions.

Morgan himself called the police and said he had followed the couple and became angry when he saw his wife naked.

David Webster in mitigation said Morgan had seen active service with the Army in Malaya.

"He is thoroughly ashamed of what he did. At his age this is an absolute disaster.

"The relationship is over and there will be no reconciliation. He is coming to terms with this."

The Judge told Morgan at the end of the case: "We don't want you going off the rails again. If you breach the order you'll have to go to prison."