A MUSWELL Hill man has been handed a reprieve after admitting attacking his ex-girlfriend in a drunken rage last year.

Jordan Pearce, of Coppetts Road, was handed a two-year community order at Hendon Crown Court today after pleading guilty to criminal damage and common assault.

The court was told on December 30 in a drunken state Pearce had gone to visit his former girlfriend Lorraine Venables to see their two-year-old child, but when he got there he was told the child was ill and he should come another day.

At this point he became abusive and refused to leave, but when Miss Venables tried to phone his mother to collect him he took the mobile and threw it against a wall, then hit her twice on the head.

Miss Venables' nine year old daughter tried to pull Pearce, who had been drinking, away and he went and got his child ready to take away, but was stopped by Miss Venables who he then punched.

He was arrested and admitted a charge of criminal damage, but only pleaded guilty to common assault as he was due to stand trial for it in January.

In mitigation his lawyer Miss Patel told the court he knew his behaviour was “not acceptable” and he had “too much to drink on that day”.

She added he was now in regular employment and had been barred from seeing his child since the attack.

The court also heard he had been handed a caution for a similar offence last year.

In sentencing District Judge Tim Daber told Pearce: “I can only imagine this was a frightening experience for your ex-partner to have someone acting as a drunken lout slapping and punching her in front of her children which makes it worse.

“You have a long record and it is not the first time you have assaulted your former partner.

“I could justify a prison sentence here, but I do not think sending you away would help in your case.”

He was handed a two-year community order and supervision from a probation officer and ordered to attend a domestic abuse programme.