A MAN daubed furniture, floors and walls at his former partner's home with white gloss paint, causing more than £800 worth of damage.

Blackburn magistrates heard that the paint attack followed an incident at David Cowans flat where his former partner had spilled a tin of paint. And during the tit-for-tat incident he allegedly hit her while she had their 13-month-old child in her arms and splashed them both with paint.

Cowans, 40, of Hawthorn Avenue, Darwen, pleaded guilty to damaging property belonging to Lisa Rainor and assaulting her. He was made subject to a six month community rehabilitation order and ordered to pay £50 compensation.

Eddie Harrison, prosecuting, said Cowans had punched Miss Rainor as she held the child, although, while an assault was accepted, the punch had always been denied. He said Cowans then followed Miss Rainor to her home where he dipped his hands in the paint before smearing the windows. He went inside and started flicking the gloss paint around the house, damaging furniture, walls and floors.