Wolverhampton thug broke nose of ex in New Year's rage
A thug saw in the New Year by breaking the nose of his former partner after their eight-year romance ended, a judge heard.
Violence flared after the victim went with a friend to the home of former lover Nathan Smith in the early hours of New Year's Day, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.
The 24 year-old, who had split up with her a week earlier, flew into a drunken rage when she took a bottle of whisky to try to stop him drinking any more, revealed Mr Paul Farrow, prosecuting.
Smith grabbed it back and threw her against a door before locking himself in the bathroom with the bottle.
It was almost empty when he emerged to launch the savage assault in which he punched her in the face, knocking her to the floor where she was stamped on.
The thug was so drunk he then blacked out, allowing the victim to go to hospital for treatment and then to the police to report the attack on her.
When officers arrived at the home of Smith, in Frost Street, Ettingshall, around 12 hours after the incident he was still drunk and had the dried blood of his former partner on his hands and face, the court heard.
He also had scratches on his face and forearms together with grazes on his right knuckles, the hearing was told.
Mr Jon Roe, defending, said: "He is disgusted and appalled at his behaviour.
"He had drunk a considerable amount of alcohol, remembers nothing of what happened but accepts that his former partner has told the truth.
"He is now receiving treatment for his binge drinking and has not had any alcohol recently."
Smith pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm and was given a 12-month jail term suspended for two years with 150 hours of unpaid work and a two month night-time curfew was imposed.
Judge Andrew Lockhart QC told him: "This was a sustained assault.
"You drank more and more from a bottle of whisky and when the injured party tried to stop you drinking any more you punched her to the face, causing an immediate shower of blood.
"Then you stamped on her a number of times, bruising her face and shoulder."
"You have come within a hair's breadth of going straight to prison," he told the defendant.
Smith was made the subject of a restraining order banning him from any contact with the victim who said in a statement: "I am frightened of him doing it again.
"I thought he was going to seriously hurt me. I feel like locking myself away because of my injuries."
