A PUB worker grabbed his partner by the throat, repeatedly punched her in the head and refused to let her leave her house, a court heard.

Lee Damian Dawson and his girlfriend at the time had gone back to her home in Ambleside Close, Accrington, on November 17 last year.

Preston Crown Court heard Dawson, who works as a team leader at The Fernhurst pub in Blackburn, accused her of sleeping with other men after the pair got in at around 1am.

Stephen Parker, prosecuting, said the pair, who had both been drinking, had been arguing.

He said: “He started to get nasty with her. She said he grabbed her by the throat with both hands. He was laughing at her.

“He released his grip on her throat and began punching her repeatedly on the side of her head with both fists.”

The court heard Dawson's partner tried to block the blows and suffered bruising to her head, neck and forearm.

Mr Parker said she was going to ring the police but he took her mobile and house phones off her, before taking her keys and saying, ‘you’re not going anywhere’.

He said: “She managed to get to the front window and screamed ‘help me help me’, before the defendant grabbed her by the hair.”

She managed to leave the house at 5.30am and was spotted by a motorist who described an ‘extremely distressed female approaching the side of her car’.

Mr Parker said she spoke to the driver and told her the defendant was beating her up and had taken her phone.

The court heard Dawson, 43, claimed he was provoked by his partner after she had slapped him in the face and poked him in his shoulder, where he had recently undergone surgery.

Dawson has five previous convictions for six offences, which included assault and actual bodily harm.

Lee Smith, defending, said: “He understands the seriousness of this offence and offers remorse. Domestic violence matters are serious and he accepts the custodial threshold has been passed."

“Physically she made a full recovery.

“He accepts the relationship is over.”

Dawson, of Stephen Street, Blackburn, admitted battery and false imprisonment and was given a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

He was given a restraining order which bans him from contact with his former girlfriend and entering Accrington for five years.

Recorder Guy Mathieson said: “You are full of justification and excuses. You have not learned your lesson.

“Do not roll your eyes and shrug your shoulders, you are back here again for beating a woman, it’s nothing big or clever.”