AN EX-soldier who beat up his partner was suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome after service in Iraq, a court was told.

Burnley magistrates heard tarmacer Jamie Lee Wilson, 26, had been discharged from the Army after serving there and was said to have emotional problems.

He attacked mother of four Louise Edmondson, his live-in girlfriend of three years, in front of one of the children and was said to have been responsible for domestic violence twice before.

The pair were now due to be married in September.

Wilson, of Talbot Street, Colne, admitted assault by beating on February 5.

He was given a 12 month community order with supervision and must pay £75 costs.

Elizabeth Read, prosecuting, said Miss Edmondson would say the defendant had been drinking, became argumentative and by the end of the evening had had four beers and a litre of vodka.

In the early hours she rang Wilson's mother as she could usually calm him down.

She arrived, her son was very drunk, carried on being aggressive and headbutted his partner.

He then lunged forward and grabbed her face, pushed her backwards and his mother had to step in between them to stop the attack.

Mrs Read said the defendant then followed the victim upstairs, would not let her out of the bedroom and pushed her.

He then followed her downstairs, pinned her against the wall by her throat and his mother rang his father for help.

Mr Wilson senior arrived, tried to talk to him and calm him down outside but they argued. Mrs Wilson decided enough was enough and rang the police.

Mrs Read said Miss Edmondson was injured and was also upset that one of the children was on the landing and witnessed what happened.

Officers arrived, spoke to the defednant's partner and mother and saw the top of a man's head outside near the shed.

When the door was opened, he was crouched down and said :"Don't come any closer, I'm a killer."

Wilson refused to come out, was abusive to police, shouted to officers he had been in the army and told them: "I have taken worse than you."

He pointed his finger, yelling: "I'm a sniper, I could kill you like that."

He was arrested, taken to the floor, restrained and handcuffed.

David Leach, defending, said Wilson had joined the Queen's Lancashire Regiment in 2002 and whilst in Iraq witnessed a lot of very difficult things that most people were fortunate not to see.

Wilson could only apologise to every member of his family.

Mr Leach said: "He has difficulty dealing with what is termed post traumatic stress disorder.

"He drinks and the drink can lead to incidents such as this."