Last updated at 13:48, Wednesday, 16 September 2009

A MAN who pushed and slapped his pregnant girlfriend has been fined.

Thomas James Millington appeared before Furness magistrates and pleaded guilty to assaulting Joanne Campbell by beating her on June 1.

Mr Lee Dacre, prosecuting, told magistrates on Monday that the couple had been in a relationship for nine months and the victim of the assault was 32 weeks pregnant with the defendant’s child.

The solicitor said that on Sunday May 31 there were arguments at the house of the complainant’s mother and Millington was asked to leave.

Mr Dacre said: “There were then texts from the defendant and phone calls where he was shouting. After midnight she (Miss Campbell) went home to see what mood he was in.

“There was an argument, she pushed him and he pushed back, sending her falling onto the settee.”

The prosecutor added that the defendant also slapped the victim on the arm in retaliation for being slapped himself. Karen Templeton, defending, said her client had no previous convictions of any kind and that it was a ‘one-off’ incident following a verbal argument.The solicitor said: “He didn’t act in an appropriate manner by pushing her back. She then slapped him a couple of times, it was tit for tat.

“It is an aggravating feature that the victim was pregnant and he accepts he deserves punishment but there was minimal force.”

Miss Templeton added that the baby had been born while court proceedings were being brought and the couple hoped to get back together.

Chairwoman of the Bench Lesley Morgan said it appeared to be an isolated incident with no significant injuries.

Millington, 22, of James Street, Barrow, was fined £200 with £135 costs.

First published at 13:11, Wednesday, 16 September 2009
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk