A MAN who carried out a drunken and cowardly attack on his partner, squeezing her round the throat and pulling out clumps of her hair, has escaped being jailed.
Dean Stacey had pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to assaulting his now ex-partner, causing her actual bodily harm.
Stacey, of Chapel Green, Napton, was sentenced to 12 months in prison suspended for two years and was ordered to take part in a Building Better Relationships programme.
Judge Anthony Potter also imposed a restraining order banning the 42-year-old from contacting his ex for ten years and ordered him to do 100 hours of unpaid work and to pay £300 costs.
The court heard his ex and his daughter, who was two at the time, had been forced to flee the house after the incident in July last year.
Prosecutor Ian Windridge pointed out Stacey had no convictions for violence, but did have two for excess alcohol.
Simon Hunka, defending, said: “He is someone who, on the face of it, has a life that is perfectly in order, but at the time he was battling with serious issues. That led to a period when he was really struggling with alcohol.
“He is appalled by his own behaviour, and truly sorry for what he put her through.”
Sentencing Stacey, Judge Potter told him: “The real gravity of this offending is not just its sustained nature, but the impact it had on your young daughter who, with her mother, was forced to flee the house.
“I only hope you are thoroughly ashamed of your cowardly behaviour on that occasion.”