AN abusive boyfriend has admitted to a string of offences in a campaign of domestic abuse against his partner.

At Halton Magistrates Court on Thursday, Stephen Peter Webster, aged 54, of Walton Avenue, pleaded guilty to beating girlfriend Kerry Jackson on four occasions.

The court heard the couple had been in a ‘volatile relationship’, off and on, since 2003, with ‘alcohol an issue’.

In a witness statement Ms Jackson said it had taken ‘courage’ to go to the police, as she had ‘been a victim so long she accepted it’.

She also feared a revenge attack for reporting the violence, the court heard, and has since ended the relationship.

Webster pleaded guilty to attacks on December 1 and 31 last year, and January 18 and 21 this year.

Katherine Whincup, prosecuting, said they happened when the couple lived together on Canberra Square.

She said: “Two weeks before Christmas both parties were at home drinking.

“The victim had fallen asleep and woke to find the defendant was punching her to the face.

“This cut her nose and blackened both her eyes.”

On January 18 both had been drinking when Webster again punched his girlfriend to the face, causing further bruising, the court heard.

Mrs Whincup said the violence worsened two days later.

“The victim was in her bedroom,” she said.

“She was drunk and wanted to go to sleep and the defendant was angry.

“She was woken by the defendant dragging her out of the chair, punching her to the face, and pushing her to the floor.”

Defending, Keith Porter, said Webster, who has no previous convictions, has been subject to ‘many provocations’.

“This isn’t a man out for revenge,” he said.

“He is full of remorse for what happened.”

Magistrates called for domestic violence reports to be carried out before passing sentence.

Webster was bailed and told he cannot contact the victim, or go within 50m of Canberra Square.