A DAD who took the law into his own hands and attacked a 15-year-old he thought was bullying his son has been ordered to do community service.

Dustyn Finch pulled the youngster to the ground and punched him twice as he ran into a supermarket to try and get help.

But on hearing how the 38-year-old launched the attack after his 13-year-old son had come home moments earlier with a bloodied nose, a court decided not to impose a jail term.

Finch, who had admitted common assault and criminal damage, was appearing at Swindon crown court to appeal against the 60 hours of community service he was told to do.

James Tucker, for the Crown, told the hearing how the landscape gardener had chased and attacked the teenager shortly before 10pm on Saturday, December 5 last year.

He said the boy was walking with two friends in the Cavendish Square area when they saw Finch driving past before pulling over.

“He got out of the vehicle and chased after the group, who were running away. They ran to the Co-op,” he said.

Once inside Finch caught the lad by the collar of the two T-shirts he was wearing, damaging them. He pulled him to the ground and punched him twice to the head.

Mr Tucker said the assault only ended when shop staff intervened to separate the two and the police were called.

When he was questioned Finch said his son had come home with a bloodied nose and said the three lads he chased had been responsible.

After going out to look for them he said the boy he assaulted threw a stone at his van and he lost his temper and went after him.

Finch told officers he had made a number of complaints to the police about the treatment of his son by local youths.

Mr Tucker said the police had tried to contact him in the past but he had failed to return their calls.

Finch, of Church Street, Chiseldon, pleaded guilty to common assault and criminal damage but appealed the sentence of the magistrates.

Chris Smyth, defending, said: “Mr Finch has brought this appeal against sentence out of a sense of overwhelming injustice.”

He said he felt he had reported the matter to the police in the past and they had done nothing about it.

Finch was very sorry for what he had done and he knew it was wrong, he said, but he had gone to look for the youths when they threw things at his van.

Since the sentence was imposed in early April he said his client had already completed 14 of the 60 hours he was ordered to do.

Mr Smyth said his client was marrying the boy’s mum soon and they all hoped to live together in Chiseldon, away from the trouble in the Parks.

Upholding the sentence, Judge Euan Ambrose, sitting with two magistrates, said: “You know it is quite wrong to take the law into your own hands.”

He said had there not been the background to the case then they would be considering a custodial sentence for assaulting a minor. They decided not to order him to pay £200 costs.