A man who punched his long-term partner in the face and dragged her around by her jacket after he confronted her about her infidelity has walked free from court.

Daniel Palmer knocked the woman out with a single blow when he attacked her in the street during the summer leaving her covered in cuts and bruises.

The 31-year-old cable puller accepted that he reacted angrily when his ex-partner confirmed she had cheated on him while he was working away.

Teesside Crown Court heard how their relationship was now over and that the woman did not partake in the prosecution of the case and it relied on police evidence from the scene.

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Anthony Pettengell, prosecuting, said: “The victim was sitting on the wall, she had a number of injuries, swelling to her eye, swelling to her forehead and cuts and bruises to her upper torso.

“She described being unconscious following the assault.

“When the defendant was arrested, he accepted striking the victim to her face.”

Palmer, of Jacques Court, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm following the attack on July 22 this year.

Daniel Ingham, mitigating, said his client accepted he delivered the blow to his ex-partner’s face when she confessed to cheating on him.

The legal counsel urged the judge to follow the recommendations of Palmer’s pre-sentence report and not sent him immediately to custody.

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He added: “He has shown genuine remorse for the incident.”

Recorder Ashley Serr sentenced the defendant to 30 weeks in prison suspended for 18 months.

He said: “You hit her in the face and tried to remove the jacket she was wearing. You admitted your behaviour was inappropriate and you regretted that behaviour.

“She suffered cuts and bruising and lost consciousness for a short period of time.

“This was a disgraceful piece of conduct.”

Palmer was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, attend 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days, and pay his victim £500 in compensation.