Thomas Smith

A Butler man charged with assaulting his ex-wife's boyfriend was sentenced to probation in Butler County Court on Thursday.

Thomas S. Smith, 43, was sentenced to six months of county probation, 20 hours of community service and ordered to pay court costs by Judge William Shaffer.

Smith pleaded guilty to misdemeanor simple assault on Oct. 4.

Smith was initially charged with felony burglary, two counts of aggravated assault, and one count each of trespass, misdemeanor terroristic threats, simple assault, summary criminal mischief, harassment and criminal trespass after an incident on Feb. 7, 2016.

Felony counts of burglary, criminal trespass and one aggravated assault charge were later withdrawn at the district court level. The remaining charges were then dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

The charges stem from an incident that Butler Township police said occurred at the home in the 200 block of North Duffy Road.

Police said Smith, possibly armed with a rock-in-a-sock, broke into the home and beat his ex-wife's sleeping boyfriend, Jonathan Stariat, 40.

Stariat suffered facial injuries and was able to flee to a neighbor's house where he called 911, police said.

During the altercation, Smith also allegedly bit the man's upper back.