An Easton man has been ordered to wear an electronic tag after he punched another man in the street in a row over a broken laptop computer.

Patrick Wilson, 39, of Easton Road, admitted assault by beating and failing to surrender to Trinity Road police station when he appeared before Bristol Magistrates' Court yesterday.

The court was told that the victim was a friend of a woman Wilson claimed owed him money after damaging his laptop computer.

Crown Prosecutor Andrea Edwards said the assault took place in Villiers Road, Easton, on August 10, when Wilson confronted his victim in the street and told him "you better get your woman on the street because I want my money", before punching him in the face.

Ms Edwards said that after Wilson was arrested for the assault, he failed to keep an appointment to attend Trinity Road police station. She added that by committing the assault, Wilson had breached a 12-month community order imposed by magistrates in November 2008 for a drugs offence.

Debbie Clark, defending, said her client did not have a grudge against his victim but was chasing his female friend for payment after she had broken his laptop computer, which contained photographs of his late girlfriend.

She said: "While he was in a verbal dispute with the female, the complainant got involved. It's a minor injury and it was a single punch."

Magistrates imposed a two-month community order and told Wilson to remain at home on a curfew between 7pm and 7am for six weeks. He was also ordered to pay £50 in compensation to his victim and costs of £85.