Blackburn man assaulted partner while drunk
5:51pm Friday 19th October 2012 in News
A MAN who was only allowed to live at his partner’s home if he didn’t drink pretended to have gone to work but went on the beer instead.
Blackburn magistrates heard Andrew Martin returned home drunk and then went for more beer.
An incident ended with him punching his partner on the nose and damaging her front door after she managed to lock him out.
Martin, 37, of Pilmuir Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assaulting Bernadette McManus and causing £300 worth of damage to the door. He was made subject to community supervision for 12 months with a six months alcohol treatment requirement.
Philippa White, prosecuting, said Martin lived with Miss McManus on the strict understanding that he didn’t drink because it makes him violent.
On the day of the incident he appeared to have gone to work as normal but when she came home his work clothes were in the house.
“She realised he hadn’t been to work and when he rang at 6 pm she could tell he was drunk,” said Mrs White. “She told him not to come home but when he turned up an hour later let him and told him to go upstairs to sleep it off and she would sleep downstairs.”
Martin left the house and returned with four more cans of beer, one of which he spilled on the living room floor.
“At this point she told him to get out,” said Mrs White.
Michelle Stewart, defending, said Martin accepted he had problems with alcohol for which he had been treated in the past.
“At the time he was under a great deal of stress,” said Miss Stewart. “He didn’t go to work because of the stress and instead decided to go and get drunk.”
