Grief for distressed dad after domestic

Town magistrates were told how Lee Ashton (35), of Big Barn Lane, pushed his ex-partner during a row about contact with his children, causing her to fall backwards and bang her head on a wall.

Daniel Pietryka, prosecuting, said: “He had gone round to see his daughter but when he got to the address the children did not want to see him. He did not accept that.

“There was an argument between his partner and himself, he pushed her and she stumbled backwards before falling to the ground.”

Sarah Sanderson, defending, said Ashton’s ex-partner had not made a statement and without his full and frank admissions the case would have gone no further.

“He had arranged on the day to have contact with his 13 year-old daughter,” said Mrs Sanderson.

“He attended and was told none of the children wanted to see him during Christmas, but when he spoke to the children this was obviously not the case.

“It appears the complainant has tried to use the contact to cause him distress.”

Ashton was re-sentenced for two other assaults, one of which was against the same woman, for which he was already subject to a community order.

For the previous two assaults he received two eight-week jail terms concurrently and 12 weeks consecutively for the latest one, suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to complete a Building Better Relationships course and made to pay £200 compensation, an £80 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.