A drunken dad-of-two hit his girlfriend on the head with a metal pole after biting and punching her friend.
Gary Parry, 29, of Blakeacre Road, Halewood, attacked his partner Marnie Austin and her pal Kelly Howarth in a house full of children.
Liverpool Crown Court heard how Parry and the two women were drinking at Miss Howarth’s home in Tiverton Close, Huyton into the early hours of December 2 last year.
Michael Scholes, prosecuting, said Parry and Miss Austin had brought their two children, aged five and eight, with them.
An argument broke out and Miss Howarth, who was with her one-year-old baby, asked Parry to leave.
He went outside but started banging on the door and she let him back in.
Mr Scholes said Parry then picked up Miss Howarth’s baby and dropped the child onto her lap.
He grabbed hold of her and bit his victim on two of her fingers.
Mr Scholes said she bit Parry to get him off and he punched her in the face.
Her 15-year-old son, who was asleep upstairs, was woken by the noise and came down to see Parry drag Miss Austin into the garden.
He pulled her hair as she fell to the ground and when she fled back inside, he pursued her with a trampoline pole.
Parry hit her on the back of the head, causing a three to four centimetre gash, which later had to be glued shut.
Police were called to the scene and arrested Parry at around 7am. He admitted common assault and assault causing actual bodily harm.
He has a caution for battery against Miss Austin and the court heard police have been called to their home on a number of occasions.
Kenneth Heckle, defending, said his client had little memory of the incident but was “genuinely remorseful”.
He said: “Alcohol is the problem. The defendant was as shocked as the complainant that he was capable of doing this, but doesn’t shy away from it in any way and wants to do something about it.”
Mr Heckle urged the court to impose a suspended sentence so Parry could attend an alcohol treatment course, having previously completed one in 2011.
However, Judge David Aubrey, QC, said this was “totally unrealistic” given the couple’s “turbulent relationship” and his persistent alcohol problems.
The judge said: “She has hit the nail on the head by saying that when you’re not in drink you can be lovely, but when you’re in drink you are capable of anything and unpredictable.
“Weapons were used – teeth and a metal pole – and the victims were two women, both of whom were vulnerable.
“This was a sustained assault upon certainly one of the victims and furthermore it was in the presence of a number of children.”
Judge Aubrey jailed Parry 14 months and made an indefinite restraining order, preventing him from contacting Miss Austin.
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Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/