“Extremely jealous” man assaulted partner twice at her Basford home

Liam Allen attacked the woman as their six-month long relationship deteriorated, between April 1 and April 20, said prosecutor Andrew Hopkinson.

He began to question her about messages on her mobile phone and began looking through it before using abusive language, the court heard.

He squeezed her face painfully and hurled the phone against the wall, damaging it beyond repair. When she asked him to leave, Allen grabbed her face again and slapped her with his other hand.

A second assault took place when they arrived at her home, at 2am, on May 2, after Allen argued with her friend.

"He grabbed her by the face again," said Mr Hopkinson. "She pushed him away. He pushed her to the floor. He grabbed hold of her and pulled her inside. He struck her on the lip which started bleeding."

When Allen was arrested he was put in the back of a police van where he spat bloody saliva “continuously,” so the interior had to be cleaned at a cost of £50.

Probation officer Raqia Bano told the court that he received a suspended sentence in 2018 for possession of a blade, after going to a different partner's workplace, armed with a knife, and making threats. She confirmed he didn't undertake a building better relationships course.

Amreek Jandoo, mitigating, said Allen deserved full credit for his early guilty pleas.

He said the victim sustained no "visible injuries" and the defendant offered to repair her mobile straight away.

On the second occasion, Allen collected the woman from a friend's house where there was a confrontation, Mr Jandoo said.

He said Allen, who hopes to reconcile with the woman, has suffered from panic attacks and depression as a result of the proceedings.

He said the defendant spat blood in the back of the police van because he was injured during his arrest.

Allen, 27, of Sherborne Road, Nottingham, admitted two counts of assault and two of criminal damage, when he appeared at Nottingham Magistrates Court, on Wednesday.

The case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports until August 25.