THE Hampshire photographer convicted of assaulting Heather Mills-McCartney as he tried to take her picture was today ordered to complete a 12-month community punishment order.

Jay Kaycappa, 32, grabbed the estranged wife of ex-Beatle Sir Paul McCartney by her right shoulder in order to swing her round and take her photograph, Brighton magistrates had heard.

The court had heard during a three-day trial that the incident took place in a subway in the seaside resort on July 5 last year.

Father of three Kaycappa, of The Hurdles, Fareham, was also convicted of assaulting Ms Mills-McCartney's friend Mark Payne the following evening.

Previo0usly Chair of the bench Juliet Smith said Kaycappa's evidence had been "confused and contradictory" while Ms Mills-McCartney had been a "credible" prosecution witness.

Magistrates heard the assault took place as she cycled to Brighton from her seafront home on the exclusive Western Esplanade in Hove, East Sussex, accompanied by her personal trainer Ben Amigoni, 23, and an American couple, Mark Payne and Michael Shilub.

During the trial, prosecutor Dale Sullivan accused Kaycappa and the other photographer of hunting Ms Mills-McCartney "like a pack of animals".

Kaycapa wasalso ordered to pay Ms Mills-McCartney £100 and Mr Payne £50 and costs of £1,000.