A 42-YEAR-OLD man who launched a "savage" bonfire night attack on his partner was told he had narrowly escaped a jail term.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Philip Glen Preece repeatedly slapped Margaret Preston before kicking her in the face, connecting with her right eye.

His brother Mark told police that he saw Mrs Preston cowering on the floor with her hands covering her face and Preece kicking her in the ribcage.

Preece, of Audley Range, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm and witness intimidation. He was made subject to a community rehabilitation order for two years with a condition that he attends the addressing substance related offending programme and pay £200 compensation.

Claire Fanning, prosecuting, said at the time of the incident the couple had split up and Preece had left the house they had been sharing. On November 5 he called at her address and the visit had initially been friendly. They were drinking and discussing money he owed his brother and Mrs Preston agreed to lend him some cash to repay the debt. They went to his brother's house and Preece became agitated and attacked her.

The witness intimidation charge related to an incident in the town centre when Mark Preece heard his brother shout to him: "You'd better not turn up at court."

Daniel King, defending, said: "The assault appears to have been a combination of frustration, drink and his inability to express himself and communicate in a way others may have been able to do."