A soldier punched holes in two doors after his wife rugby tackled him to the ground and broke his ribs in a row over her "new boyfriend".

Adam Goodman, 28, pleaded guilty to criminal damage when he appeared before Swindon Magistrates' Court on July 27.

Goodman of Belfast Mead, Lyneham, had been serving in Cyprus when he was told by his wife Jade Goodman that she no longer loved him and that she did not want to be married to him anymore.

Adam Goodman’s defence solicitor Gordon Hotson told the court his client had been “serving in the British army and while he was away he noticed a deterioration in level of communication with his wife”.

He added: “She then told him that the marriage was over but wanted him to come home at the end of the deployment for the benefit of their son.”

“He believes she had somebody else living there for a few weeks before he came back”.

Goodman returned from Cyprus to the couple's home in Lyneham to help take care of their son.

Prosecutor Keith Ballinger told magistrates how on February 8, Jade had returned home from taking their son to a child minder when the pair started arguing.

The incident took place at a property on Melsome Road, Lyneham.

During the disagreement, the defendant smashed a mirror that was on the bedroom wall, then went downstairs.

Jade followed him and he closed a door which struck his wife on the shoulder. The court was told this was accidental and Goodman had no intention of causing any harm to his wife.

Goodman was then rugby tackled to the ground by his wife and broke two of his ribs. He stood up and punched holes in two separate doors.

Mr Ballinger said at the time Goodman “believes she was on the phone to her new boyfriend, this made him angry, and he punched through the two doors”.

Goodman is a Lance Corporal in the army and is currently waiting to hear whether he has been promoted to Corporal.

If he obtains his promotion then he is expected to be deployed as early as September. These circumstances persuaded magistrates to hand him a fine rather than ordering community service.

Adam Goodman pleaded guilty to the charge and was ordered to pay a fine of £292.