A row between a Camborne couple involved the man using a vacuum cleaner pipe to hit the woman, and a pitchfork which she used to threaten him to leave.

At Truro Magistrates’ Court Matthew Graham Harris, 36, of Stray Park Road, Camborne, was before District Judge Andrew Vickers for sentence having been convicted at his earlier trial of assaulting Trina Bashford on February 6 at Camborne.

Alison May, for the CPS, said the pair were both drunk at the time of the offence, and when Ms Bashford asked him to leave, he refused. When she said she would call the police if he did not go, he said “Go ahead”, grabbed her by the neck and held her to the floor. He then picked up a vacuum pipe and hit her to the side of her head with it, saying: “I am going to f….g kill you”.

She broke away, left to get help, but no-one was there for her, and when Harris still refused to leave she picked up a pitchfork and said she would stab him with it if he did not go.

The couple had been in a relationship but split up about 10 years ago. There had been arrangements for access to their daughter and this incident happened after one of those visits.

Afterwards Ms Bashford said she was frightened and nervous about going out in case there was a repetition of what happened. It had had a massive effect on her life, leaving her looking over her shoulder constantly in case Harris was around.

Defendant, who had previous convictions, was represented by Jeremy Leaning who said his record consisted of theft with an alcohol background and a caution for assaulting Ms Bashford in 2004. They had parted formally, but on and off had seen each other and retained a link through their daughter. He now respected that the relationship had come to an end and he wished it to do so.

Harris was given a 20 week prison sentence suspended for 18 months, and a community order with requirements. He was fined £50 for a bail offence, and a restraining order was made against him. Costs he had to pay amounted to £300 and there was £150 compensation for Ms Bashford.