A builder viciously headbutted, punched and kicked his girlfriend after she shared a taxi home with her neighbour’s partner last year.

Mark Davies, 29, subjected Leanne Dolman to a ‘sustained attack’ at her home in Winsford on December 6, 2015.

Chester Magistrates Court heard on Monday (April 4) that Davies, of Jack Lane in Moulton, had become angry when his then partner of five years Miss Dolman had called him on her way home from a night out to let him know of her travel arrangements, and went on to chase the neighbour’s partner – who was also Miss Dolman’s personal trainer – when they arrived.

Prosecutor Alison Warburton said the couple then went back to Miss Dolman’s house, where Davies was ‘ranting’ at her and calling her names before he landed blows to her face and head, kicking her when she fell to the ground.

Miss Dolman managed to escape the house with the help of a neighbour and was taken to hospital.

'He gives me a hard time all the time'

In a victim impact statement read out to the court, Miss Dolman revealed she is afraid of her former partner’s temper.

“I just do not feel like he will ever give up,” she said.

“He gives me a hard time all the time. I have had to have the locks changed.

“I feel I am stepping on eggshells around him.”

Davies, who has one previous conviction for drugs offences, pleaded guilty to assault at the hearing.

'Out of character'

Defending, Laura Preston-Hayes said her client has moved on with his life since the incident by starting a new relationship and setting up a building business.

She explained that Davies and Miss Dolman’s three-year-old son is severely autistic and Davies has ‘stepped up’ in sharing childcare responsibilities.

“Obviously this is not a very nice incident and Mr Davies would be the first person to accept that,” said Miss Preston-Hayes.

“It is out of character for him.

“He obviously has to be punished and he knows that.”

Magistrates sentenced Davies to three months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months with a community order requirement of 200 hours’ unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay £500 in compensation to Miss Dolman, £85 in court costs and an £80 victim surcharge.

Presiding magistrate Mark Johns told him: “This was a sustained attack on the mother of your child, who has special requirements and needs.

“If he was able to communicate with you he would not wish you to behave this way towards his mother.

“You should be ashamed of yourself.

“This incident must have been a terrifying ordeal for Miss Dolman and will have a long-lasting effect on her.”