A MAN admitted assaulting his girlfriend, but denied head-butting her, when he appeared before Darlington magistrates yesterday.

Simon Causer, 31, admitted he broke his girlfriend Leanne Burton's nose on October 4 in a late-night fracas, but disputed her claim that the injury was caused by him head- butting her.

Toby Thomas, prosecuting, told Darlington Magistrates Court that Ms Burton had left the Killinghall Arms, in Middleton St George, at about 1.30am with a friend and bumped into Causer.

Mr Thomas said that at the time Ms Burton and Causer, who have had an eight-year relationship, had split up.

Mr Thomas described how there was an argument between the Ms Burton's friend and Causer, which resulted in him head-butting Ms Burton.

Graham Hunsley, defending, said his client and Ms Burton had arranged to meet to reconcile their differences, as was often the case when they had broken-up.

He said Ms Burton's friend had been abusive towards Causer and he responded in kind.

Causer believed Ms Burton then struck him with a bag, before the couple started pushing each other and there was a flailing of arms.

"He accepts he is the only one who could have caused that injury, but he did not intend to injure her," said Mr Hunsley.

Magistrates opted for a Newton hearing to review all the evidence, in order to gain clarification of which version of events was correct, before sentencing Causer, of Browns Buildings, Middleton St George, near Darlington.

The case was adjourned to December 16.