A DRUNKEN man who left his former partner covered in blood when he battered her with a beer bottle has been jailed.

Michael Connors flew into a rage when the woman took some beer bottles from his mother's house and grabbed his victim in a headlock.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 35-year-old wrestled the woman to the floor before hitting her several times with a beer bottle.

The violence erupted when Connors accused his former girlfriend of styling some cigarettes when she decided to stay over that the defendant's mother's home.

Anthony Pettengell, prosecuting, said the victim had gone up to bed but Connors followed her and started to accuse her of the theft.

The woman then decided to leave the house but took some beer from the garden shed, a move which enraged the defendant and resulted in his violent outburst.

Mr Pettengell said: "He took her into a chokehold, she shouted for him to get off her but he didn't. They wrestled and they both fell to the floor.

"He grabbed the bottle form her and started striking her – he hit her in the face and head with the bottle."

When police arrived at the scene they discovered the victim caked in blood from the gaping wounds to her head.

In a victim impact statement she said since the attack she was now scared that she would be attacked again if she bumped into any of the family members in the street.

Connors, of Russell Street, Stockton, pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm following the attack on July 4 last year.

Paul Newcombe, mitigating, said Connors was looking for treatment for his alcohol addiction.

"The defendant is appalled at his own behaviour and is fully expecting a prison sentence today," he said.

"This offence has been a wake up call for him."

Judge Stephen Ashurst told the defendant he was concerned he had 'forgotten' to mention previous domestic violence incidents to the Probation Service.

Sentencing Connors to nine-months in prison, the judge told him that his alcohol consumption was not an excuse for the violent assault that night.

He added: "That may suggest that you regard these domestic incidents as not as serious as assaults on other members of the public."