A homeless man assaulted a parish council chairman and tore a parish clerk's coat when they tried to evict him from a village playing field, a court was told.

Antony Gurney, 55, who lives rough with his horse, admitted assaulting Brancaster Parish Council chairman Tom de Winton.

He also admitted causing £68.34 damage to a coat belonging to parish clerk Simon Bower.

The offences took place at Brancaster, on January 20, when Mr de Winton and Mr Bower were attempting to serve eviction notices on Gurney.

He had been living in a makeshift camp on the playing field while his horse grazed on a nearby football pitch. 

Irsa Iqbal, prosecuting, said Gurney defendant pushed Mr de Winton in the chest, causing him to stumble back, and shouted abuse.

She said Mr de Winton had placed an eviction notice in Gurney's belongings, which he forcefully pushed into Mr Bower's coat pocket, ripping it.

In a victim impact statement, Mr de Winton said the assault had left him feeling unable to carry out his elected duties.

George Sorrell, defending, said: "The defendant by his lifestyle is different to most people who reside in Brancaster."

Gurney had been served a number of notices, some of which had threatened to take his horse away.

Mr Sorrell said Gurney had felt harassed and had panicked when Mr de Winton and Mr Bower came to evict him, with a group of onlookers.

He said he pushed Mr de Winton back and was reckless when he tried to push the notice back into Mr Bower's pocket.

Magistrates gave Gurney a six month conditional discharge and order him to pay £68.34 compensation for the damaged coat. 

He was also ordered to pay costs of £150 and a £26 surcharge.