CHAIRMAN Eddie Mitchell has confirmed AFC Bournemouth will follow the club’s code of conduct when dealing with Gary Bowles.

The Cherries defender was this week convicted of attacking his former partner and was given a suspended prison sentence when he appeared before a domestic violence court.

Bowles, 23, denied assaulting his ex-girlfriend Tessa Thorn by beating on September 25 last year, but was found guilty following a trial before South Somerset Magistrates.

District Judge David Parsons, sitting at Yeovil, was told that Bowles had a previous conviction for grievous bodily harm for which he had also been given a suspended prison sentence.

He sentenced Bowles to a 20-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, during which time he must carry out 100 hours unpaid work in the community.

Bowles joined Cherries from Dorchester Town in August, for a transfer fee understood to have been £4,000. He has featured for Cherries’ reserves but has not made a first-team appearance.

When asked about the situation by the Daily Echo yesterday, Mitchell said: "He has given Lee (Bradbury, manager) no trouble since he set foot inside the door.

"That is the only time we see him and get to know about him. He turns up to training and he is fine.

"We have got to look at the situation internally and that is what we will do. We have got a conduct book and we know how we are going to deal with it, but that is our business."

When Mitchell was informed that some supporters had suggested that Bowles should be sacked, the chairman politely declined to comment.