A WHITEHAVEN man headbutted his girlfriend during a row after he had spent the afternoon watching football and drinking lager.

Ellis Joseph Dixon’s assault on the woman left her with serious facial injuries, prompting her to lock herself in the bathroom and then call the police, Carlisle Crown Court heard.

The 27-year-old defendant of Ribton Moorside, Hensingham, near Whitehaven, pleaded guilty an actual bodily harm assault.

At an earlier hearing, magistrates said they viewed the offence as so serious that they felt their powers of sentencing were not sufficient.

Prosecutor Alaric Walmsley outlined the facts.

At the time of the assault, on May 25, the defendant and his victim were in a relationship, the court heard. Dixon had arrived home from work at 12.30pm and spent the afternoon drinking and watching football.

At one stage, he went out to buy more beer.

At 7.15pm, the woman asked him to leave because of the way he behaves while in drink, said Mr Walmsley. “He wouldn’t leave and the argument lasted for an hour.”

During this, the defendant grabbed the woman by both arms and pushed her against a wall in the kitchen. “He headbutted her in the face.”

The woman fled to the bathroom, locking herself inside, “She called the police just before 9pm.” When police arrived the woman appeared petrified and she was still crying, said he prosecutor.

Taken to the Whitehaven’s West Cumberland Hospital for treatment, the woman described being in pain and reported that she had suffered a suspected broken nose and eye socket fracture.

Mr Walmsley said it was unclear why the assault had not been charged as grievous bodily harm rather than actual bodily harm. In a victim statement, the woman said the attack had a “huge impact” on her.

She feels anxious that the defendant lived near to her and she was constantly worried about what might happen if she were to bump into him. She said she no longer felt safe in her own home.

She plans to move to be nearer to her family.

Marion Weir, defending, said that after reflecting on his behaviour the defendant accepted that he should not have behaved as he had.

Within the last month, he had self-referred for talking therapy.

“The driving force, as is all too often the case, is alcohol,” said Miss Weir. The defendant had reflected on his alcohol use and there were issues of grief that the defendant had not dealt with.

“He simply does not want to behave in this way,” said Miss Weir. She added: “There is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.”

Recorder Michael Blakey accepted that the defendant was now attempting to address his difficulties with alcohol, saying: “If you don’t deal with that issue, there are going to be further difficulties.”

But the judge concluded there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and suspended the 14-month jail term he imposed for 18 months. The sentence incudes ten rehabilitation activity days and 40 hours of unpaid work.

Dixon must also pay his victim £500 in compensation.