A MAN who attacked his partner in a row over money grabbed her wrists and used her own hands to slap her in the face.

Ryan Cleary began arguing with the victim as she was sat on the sofa in their Ilminster home, and when she told him to get out he assaulted her.

He was arrested by the police after failing to turn up for a previous scheduled hearing before Somerset Magistrates and brought before the court at Yeovil in custody.

The 28-year-old defendant, of Evelyn Road, Bournemouth, pleaded guilty to assaulting his partner by beating her during the incident at Ilminster on June 5. He also admitted a bail act offence after failing to appear in court.

Prosecutor Emma Lenanton said that on the day in question the couple were arguing about money and Cleary became angry.

“The victim was sat on the sofa when she said that the defendant needed to leave, but he then suddenly grabbed her by both wrists and used her own hands to slap her in the face,” she said.

“He was then on her chest and she found it difficult to breathe and he then went outside but returned a few minutes later.

The court heard that the prosecution alleged that Cleary had also threatened his partner with a hammer and punched her to the head, but he denied this in his basis of plea, which was accepted by the magistrates.

Sam Morton, defending, said the couple had been together for three years and Cleary had been prohibited from contacting her through his bail conditions. He said that the police searched the house after the incident and did not find any evidence of a hammer.

 The magistrates adjourned the case until October 26 for a pre sentence report to be prepared by the Probation Service directing that all options should be considered, including custody.

In the meantime Cleary was released on conditional bail on the understanding he does not go to or loiter near the victim’s address in Blackdown View, Ilminster.