A MAN who went looking for a shoulder to cry on ended up assaulting his ex-partner after she invited him into her home.

Blackburn magistrates heard Keith James Culkin headbutted Sarah Lord causing a cut to the bridge of her nose.

And he later told police had had bigger cuts shaving than the one he had inflicted on his ex-partner.

Culkin, 37, of Poplar Street, Nelson, pleaded guilty to assaulting Miss Lord.

He was jailed for 14 weeks and ordered to pay her £115 compensation.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said Culkin walked in through the front door of his former partner's home at 11pm on Sunday.

He said he was having a bad night with Katie, his new partner, and started talking about her.

"He was getting more and more wound up and started shouting," said Miss Allan. "She eventually asked him to leave but he refused. She opened the front door and repeated the request and at that point he lunged forward and head butted her on the nose."

Miss Allan, said Culkin had previous convictions for assaults on Miss Lord.

David Lawson, defending, said his client understood that a head but was classed as use of a weapon and that the offence was aggravated by the previous convictions involving Miss Lord.

"He accepts this passes the custody threshold but I would ask you to pull back from an immediate prison sentence and consider a suspended sentence."

Mr Lawson said his client's alcoholism was becoming a real problem, affecting his behaviour and how he controlled his emotions.

"There is a desire and a motivation to address his problems," said Mr Lawson.