A FATHER of three who attacked his wife for a second time has been spared jail.

Joiner Sean Whalley, 33, had subjected victim Samantha Whalley to a prolonged attack in which he was said to have punched her repeatedly and dragged her around the house by her hair.

He also slammed her head against the fridge 30 times and tried to gouge out her eye after arriving home drunk at 3am.

Whalley, whose wife claimed he had been growling like an animal, carried on even after his daughters jumped on his back to try and stop the onslaught.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Whalley's victim did not report him to the police straight away and the next day he was calm and very helpful around the house and with the children.

The defendant had already completed a domestic violence course after an earlier assault on his wife in 2007.

Whalley, now separated from his wife, was arrested at the end of the following week after he thought she was having an affair, became jealous and the victim was frightened.

The defendant, of Blackburn Road, Darwen, had admitted assault causing actual bodily harm.

He was given nine months in jail, suspended for two years with 12 months supervision and the Thinking Skills programme.

Sentencing, Judge Andrew Woolman told Whalley the attack was serious and sustained and fortunately for him and for Mrs Whalley, she didn''t require any medical attention.

Sarah Statham, prosecuting, said Whalley and the victim had been together 13 years and married for three.

In the early hours of April 4, Mrs Whalley was in bed with their two-year-old child, when the defendant appeared, with two black eyes and threw himself onto the bed.

She pushed him away and he then attacked her.

Philip Holden, for Whalley, said: “It was a very unpleasant offence indeed and was committed during the currency of a community order."