A MAN who violently attacked his partner and threatened to kill her with a knife after she said she wanted a puppy has been jailed.

Crake Dean Fishwick slapped his now ex-girlfriend across the face, knocking her glasses off, before telling her she deserved it for being "cheeky."

The 25-year-old then followed her upstairs and lashed out at her, punching and kicking her several times to the face and head.

Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court heard that the victim locked herself in the bathroom before contacting her parents for help.

John Garside, prosecuting, said the defendant told his partner she wasn't getting a puppy and turned violent after she told him it was nothing to do with him.

He added: "He hit her to the side of the head, cutting her left ear, and then punched and kicked her several times and threatened to kill her with a knife."

Fishwick, of no fixed abode but from the Horden area, pleaded guilty to one count of assault by beating on January 2 this year.

Jaxon Taylor, mitigating, said his client did not accept everything that had been said in court but accepted that there was a domestic incident and the victim did suffer "some injuries."

Magistrates jailed Fishwick for eight weeks. He was also ordered to pay £200 compensation, £85 court costs and £128 victim surcharge.