Award winning hairdresser Gary Hatto has had his sentence cut for attacking a dog walker in a local park.

But despite having his community service reduced the 41-year-old boss of ten salons was branded arrogant by a judge at Swindon crown court.

Hatto, , of Aintree Drive, Chippenham, who has a history of violence, pushed a woman before punching her husband a number of times during an incident in Cepen Park.

Claire Marlow, prosecuting, told the court the assault happened when Hatto waded in to an incident involving his girlfriend not knowing what had happened.

She said dog walker Susan Marshman was out with her Labrador at about 9am on Tuesday February 13 when she saw a girl with two bulldogs.

One of them was off the lead and started to sniff around her dog and growl at it, causing her to be concerned and her dog to become agitated and nervous.

The other bulldog then got loose and joined the other one and Ms Marshman asked the girl to control the animals.

Miss Marlow said "She replied They are not mine, they're my boyfriend's' and Ms Marshman told her she should not be out with dogs she cannot control."

She was speaking loudly and passer by Paul Collins and his wife stepped in to help and he pulled one of the bulldogs away.

As he did so Hatto arrived on the scene and heard Ms Marshman telling his fiancée she shouldn't have dogs she can't control.

He went across as Mrs Collins told him they hadn't done anything but he pushed her away before punching her husband three to four times.

Mr Collins went to the ground and rolled up in a ball to make sure he wasn't hit again as Hatto continued to abusive to all three people.

He said Leave my dog alone, leave her alone' and then left the scene branding Mrs Marshman a bully' as he went.

When he was questioned a few days later Hatto told police Ms Marshman was swearing at his fiancée saying don't apologise to me'.

He told officers Mr Collins came towards him throwing punches and he hit him in self defence.

Hatto was convicted of common assault and threatening behaviour following a trial in absence before magistrates when he was on holiday.

The court heard he had previous convictions for actual bodily harm in 1989, common assault in 2005 and disorderly behaviour last year.

Jason Taylor, defending, told the appeal hearing his client had pre-booked the holiday on the day of trial and stood to lose £2,000 if he did not go.

His client had initially launched an appeal against the conviction but now accepted that and was just challenging the sentence.

As well as 160 hours of community service he said magistrates had imposed a six month curfew from 8pm to 6am as well as £466 compensation and £455 costs.

The curfew appeared to be a punitive measure, he said, as the offences took place at 9am.

Hatto, he said, had arrived at the scene to see his seven stone fiancée crouched in the middle of a melee not realising she was trying to put one of the dogs back on to the lead.

"He fully accepts he got the wrong end of the stick," he said.

She had gone out alone with the dogs, he said, as he was on the phone trying to sort out staffing problems which threatened two of his salons with closure.

Hatto owns ten salons with branches in Chippenham, Melksham and Bath.

Since the incident Hatto and his fiancée were now estranged but trying to patch up their relationship.

Recorder Neil Ford QC told him "Your readiness to resort to unruly and violent behaviour is only exceeded by your arrogance in our judgment.

"You grossly over reacted to what was happening on the day that we are concerned with and even looking t it with the benefit of hindsight you failed to appreciate that what you did was unnecessary and wrong and that is disturbing."

He said the imposition of a curfew was unnecessary and removed that as well as cutting 20 hours off his community service as a result of the three and half months of the curfew he served. However he ordered him to pay £450 costs.