A MAN who attacked his girlfriend's stepfather during a heated row on the Trisha television show was given a community rehabilitation order yesterday.

Anthony Sampson, 19, punched Edward Pines in the face during filming of an episode of Trisha entitled Am I The Father Of My Son?

Sampson's partner, 17-year-old Leanne Carr, had supplied researchers on the show, made by Anglia TV, with DNA samples to discover the paternity of the couple's four-month-old son, Leon.

Miss Carr sat on stage with her mother and stepfather and the family criticised Sampson.

He was then brought from backstage before a baying and hostile audience to be told he was not the child's father. He lost his temper and twice punched Mr Pines.

Unemployed Sampson, of Litherland, Merseyside, admitted the assault, which took place in December last year, at Norwich Magistrates' Court last month.

He was sentenced by Birkenhead magistrates for the assault on the Trisha show and another unrelated assault in February.

He was given a 24-month community rehabilitation order, ordered to attend an anger management programme and pay £100 to each of his two victims.

Zoe Keene, defending, said Sampson was still in a relationship with Miss Carr and was bringing up baby Leon as if he was his own son.

Miss Carr, who is pregnant, attended court.

Ms Keene said her client should never have been put in the situation orchestrated by the Trisha show.