WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) — A former assistant football coach at a Wilmington high school has pleaded guilty to assaulting students on campus.

Joseph Brown Jr. pleaded guilty to three counts of assault Tuesday and was ordered to perform 36 hours of community service and attend anger management classes.

Brown had been an assistant football coach at Hoggard High School for six years.

He was accused of punching and threatening six students in class earlier this year. Brown originally had been charged with six counts of assault.

Sheriff’s deputies say their investigation indicated Brown had punched three students, beaten a fourth student, threatened a student with a stick and grabbed the sixth student by the throat.

• Associated Press