Part of an assault a man carried out on his female partner took place while she was holding her nine month old baby, Truro court was told.

Simon Vaughn Baker, aged 32, of Nicholas Avenue, Redruth, pleaded guilty to assaulting Sarah Snowdon. Jonathan Richards, prosecuting, said the victim, now 18, had been 17 at the time. Police were called by neighbours who reported screaming from her flat, where Baker stayed on a regular basis. Officers found her scared and bearing marks of an assault on her body. Baker had had an argument with her and attacked her in the bedroom, punching and pushing her to the head and body.

Baker, who had previous convictions for violence, told magistrates he was was sorry and ashamed of himself. He had just "lost it" and asked to be given a chance and not sent to prison. He said the couple were apart with no chance of reconciliation.

The magistrates made a community order for 30 months, ordering compensation of £200 and £55 costs.