A CONTRACTOR who twice attacked his partner in the space of a year has been spared jail so he can continue to work and provide for her and their six children.

Christopher Blackburn was given a conditional discharge for beating up Julie Harper at their home near Middlesbrough after a drinking session in April last year.

The 30-year-old threw a plate at Miss Harper, grabbed her by the throat and repeatedly assaulted her, Sharon Elves, prosecuting, told Teesside Crown Court.

On April 21 this year, Blackburn was in a rage following an argument about collecting children from school and kicked Miss Harper on an ankle she had already injured.

He pleaded guilty to common assault and breaching the two-year conditional discharge imposed last October at the crown court for the earlier common assault.

The judge, Recorder Neil Davey, QC, fined Blackburn £750 for the first offence, £250 for this year's assault and ordered him to pay £450 prosecution costs.

He said he was not jailing the floor-fitter or imposing a community penalty because he would lose his 840-a-week job in Ireland and his family would suffer.

Robert Mochrie, mitigating, said Blackburn, of High Street, Normanby, had sought help for an alcohol problem and was in the process of rebuilding the relationship.

"At the time he was told to leave, but in time and with patience she has allowed him, to an extent, back into her life," said Mr Mochrie. "There has been progress.

"This was a domestic argument where again, and unhappily for Mr Blackburn, he had relapsed into alcohol misuse. He deeply regrets his actions."