A TEENAGER punched his pregnant partner three times in the stomach during what were meant to be clear-the-air talks at his grandparent’s house.

Blackburn magistrates heard Baillie Carradice then picked up a knife and during a struggle with his grandad the older man suffered a cut to his face.

Carradice, 19, of Burrans Meadow, Colne, pleaded guilty to assaulting his grandad, Beverley Ryan, and his partner. He was remanded on bail for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

Philippa White, prosecuting, said in the weeks leading up to the incident the defendant’s partner had discovered she was pregnant with his child. The relationship ended but they met at his grandparent’s so they could discuss “calmly” their relationship.

“Unfortunately that wasn’t what happened,” said Mrs White. “The were all sitting in the lounge speaking about the situation when the defendant became upset and said he wasn’t having his child brought up in a broken home. He said he would kill his partner. He said he would hunt her down if she left and would drag the baby out of her.”

Mr Ryan took his grandson upstairs to calm him down. When he came downstairs the couple went into another room to speak privately.

“Mr Ryan went into the room and saw her clutching her stomach,” said Mrs White. “The defendant went into the kitchen and got a knife and his grandad took hold of him to stop him following her,” said Mrs White.

Mrs Ryan and the partner left the house and drove off. During the struggle with his grandad Carradice swung his arm backwards with the knife in his hand and the older man fell to the floor, bleeding from a cut to his face.

The partner told police that when they went into the other room Carradice had grabbed her by the back of the neck and punched her three times in the stomach.

“He was in the full knowledge that she was in the early stages of pregnancy,” said Mrs White. “He was reckless in causing the injury to his grandfather but it could have been much worse, particularly of he hadn’t been wearing glasses.”