A MAN attacked his then girlfriend after he claimed he found her naked and being fondled by another man, Burnley Crown Court was told.

Mark Donlan, 45, hit Anne Johnson repeatedly in the face then kicked her in the head while she was on the floor.

Donlan, from Burnley, but recently bailed to Howarth House Hostel, Blackburn, admitted grievous bodily harm in January and had been committed for sentence by magistrates.

He was given 12 months in jail, suspended for two years, with two years supervision and put on the community domestic violence programme.

Judge Alistair Rumbelow QC said the assault was "very nasty" but two things saved the defendant from jail - his early guilty plea and the fact he had not been in trouble for 10 years.

Sarah Statham, prosecuting, said Miss Johnson and the defendant had been drinking and a man named George turned up at their house.

The victim would say George was making smutty comments to her and the defendant got angry and suggested Miss Johnson wanted to sleep with him.

He then struck her and kicked her on the floor. Miss Johnson went to her daughter's, police were called and she was taken to hospital.

Richard Hunt, defending, said at the time of his arrest Donlan had a serious drink problem. He had been to prison in the past.