A WINSFORD man admitted assaulting his partner by beating but claimed it was a one off when he appeared at Northwich Magistrates' Court on Thursday.

Magistrates gave Gareth Robinson Oakes, 24, of Crook Lane, a 60-hour community punishment order and ordered him to pay £100 compensation to his partner, Michelle Buckley, after the incident, which happened on February 27 this year.

Reading from Michelle's statement Lawrence Bestow, prosecuting, said Michelle told Oakes, her partner of 15 months, not to come to the house when he sounded drunk during a mobile phone call.

But he did come back and when she told him to leave he squared up to her, she fell back on to the settee and he pinned her down.

She was crying and very shaken and said she needed to see to their seven-month-old baby.

They fell to the floor and he put his hands around her neck, but she gave him a hug and he let go.

Reading from Michelle's statement, Bestow said: "Although it was violent, I haven't received any injuries and don't wish to make a formal complaint."

Derek McDonald, defending, said Oakes accepted Michelle's version of events.

He said: "He can't recall what happened because he'd consumed so much alcohol.

"It was a nasty incident and one that shouldn't have happened - he feels very upset and sorry about it."

Mr McDonald added: "It was a one-off occasion and won't happen again.