A bully pushed his partner during a drunken row causing her to hit her head and flee her home in terror in her dressing gown.

Lee Cross from Swanley and the woman, whom he had been dating for three-and-a-half years, had been out for a drink earlier in the evening, but when the couple returned to her home in Tonbridge, an argument broke out.

To stop the shouting, the woman went upstairs and put herself to bed, but a short time later realised she had left her phone downstairs.

When she went to get it the pair started to row again and 55-year-old Cross pushed the woman, causing her to fall backwards and hit her head on a doorframe.

As she got up, irate Cross pushed her again and the woman was so terrified of what he might do next, she fled in her dressing gown and knocked on a neighbour’s door for help.

Cross, of Heath Close, Swanley, was later charged with assault by beating and admitted the offence when he appeared in court in November last year.

He returned to the dock at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court on January 23 to hear his fate where Rajni Prashar prosecuting told the court the incident had happened on May 26, last year.

Magistrates were also told the woman suffered bruising to her leg during the incident and had been left with a sharp pain in her head.

Miss Prashar added: “He made some admissions in interview and has previous for assault and the last conviction was in 2010.”

The court was also told Cross’s last assault conviction was on a previous partner.

His latest victim, who turned up at court to read out her victim impact statement to magistrates, said she suffered stress and anxiety because of this incident, which she felt had exasperated a current health condition she was dealing with.

She also told the bench: “No domestic violence victim should ever suffer the narcissistic ways in which they try to control people.”

The court also heard Cross, a carpenter and locksmith, deeply regrets what happened and had reflected upon it since and that both parties had drunk a lot and had been in a loving relationship for three-and-a-half years up until that point.

He had also been made homeless as a result of the break-up and now realised it was a reckless thing to have done.

He claimed he was not trying to hurt his former partner when the incident happened and now recognised he should not have done it, but said he was trying to remove the woman from his personal space.

The bench also heard that since the break-up, Cross had met a new partner, who was sitting at the back of the court supporting him.

Magistrates decided to place Cross on a 12-month community order which will see him carry out 50 hours of unpaid work and he must also attend 25 rehabilitation sessions with probation.

He was ordered to pay the victim £200 in compensation and was told to stay away from her for two years.

Cross must also pay a victim surcharge of £114 and £85 court costs.