A man who assaulted two people in their home and returned later to steal from the same address has been jailed for three and a half years.

Dean Hoskins of Stirling Way, Ramsgate, was sentenced to 42 months when he appeared at Canterbury Crown Court.

The 29-year-old pleaded guilty to two charges of assault and one charge of burglary at an earlier court hearing.

Hoskins barged his way into a house in Upper Dumpton Park Road, grabbed the hair of an 18-year-old man and started to punch him in the face on February 21.

When a 24-year-old woman tried to stand between the pair, Hoskins punched her, causing her to fall back and hit her head against the wall.

Other witnesses in the house intervened and managed to get Hoskins away.

He returned to the house around three hours later looking for the same man and demanded to search the rooms again. He left without finding the man.

After Hoskins left for the second time, one of the occupants realised their phone which had been left charging in a bedroom was now missing.

In an interview with Kent Police, Hoskins denied all offences and couldn’t explain why the two victims were left with injuries.

Investigating officer detective constable Clive Horne said: "Dean Hoskins carried out a vicious attack and then returned to steal.

"Violence is never acceptable and the sentence served to Hoskins reflects the severity of his actions."