A Ross man who dragged his partner outside their house and broke her eye socket with a punch has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Adrian Bowkett, 38, of Old Market Close, was living with the woman in Newent at the time of the attack, Gloucester Crown Court was told.

Lisa Hennessy, prosecuting, said they had both been drinking in a local club on November 15th last year, and he had asked his partner, who had won £100 on a gaming machine, if he could borrow money to carry on drinking.

"When they left, he was annoyed and walked off ahead of her," she said. "The woman asked him what was wrong but he would not tell her.

"When they had got back home, she went to leave the room and he punched her so hard that she fell to the floor.

"She got up and told him to get out of her house and he punched her again before dragging her outside and punching her several times.

"She was left with a closed and badly swollen eye, a swollen nose and cheek, and when she was taken to hospital, it was found she had a broken eye socket."

Judge William Hart said:?"The references put forward on your behalf say that this was very much out of character."

He imposed a prison sentence of 38 weeks but that will be suspended for two years and made Bowkett the subject of a supervision order for two years and a drug rehabilitation order for six months. Bowkett will also be required to attend the domestic abuse programme.