A JEALOUS boyfriend thumped his partner, knocking her from a bar stool in a moment of rage, a court was told.

Burnley magistrates heard how Graham Napier, 34, felt humiliated and lost his temper after spotting Valerie Bell in a pub in "circumstances he interpreted could not be innocent."

Napier, who had no previous convictions, of Plumbe Street, Burnley, was conditionally discharged for 12 months and ordered to pay £50 compensation and £40 costs, after admitting assault by beating.

Kendal Kindley, prosecuting, said the victim went out with her brother for a drink and was talking to somebody in a pub.

The defendant mistook what was taking place and, "consumed by jealousy," asked what was going on. Ms Bell said nothing, but Napier did not believe her.

The complainant was sitting on a bar stool and the defendant thumped her in the head and neck, knocking her to the floor. She suffered bruising on the side of her head and cheek.

Napier was eventually restrained by the landlord and landlady.

When police arrived, he was as calm as a lamb and his behaviour was "one moment of rage."

Dylan Bradshaw, defending, said Napier had been seeing Valerie Bell for two years and the relationship had been volatile. They were in the process of being reconciled when the offence occurred.

There had been some incidents of infidelity during the course of the relationship and that had made the defendant suspicious of Ms Bell's associations or liaisons with men. Napier had been for a drink and went to the pub knowing his girlfriend would be there.

He saw her in circumstances which he interpreted could not be innocent.

The defendant confronted Valerie Bell about it, she said nothing untoward was going on and Napier suggested they leave together. Ms Bell said she was not going and sat on a bar stool.Mr Bradshaw said the defendant's recollection of events was that he pushed her off the stool, but that there may have been a blow struck at some point.

He added fortunately the complainant was not injured. The assault was a one-off in circumstances of a jealous rage and when the defendant also felt humiliated.