A JUDGE told a man who was found guilty of assaulting his girlfriend that he had acted like a ‘caveman’.

Samuel Tushingham, aged 26, was given a suspended sentence by District Judge Bridget Knight who told him he was almost ‘too dangerous’ to send to prison at Halton Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

The court heard how Tushingham had pleaded guilty to one charge of assault by beating, which took place in April last year, where he was said to have kicked his then partner in the thigh causing a large bruise and knocking her off her feet at her home in Warrington.

He was also found guilty by magistrates of three further charges of assault by beating, which took place between June and September 2014, after a trial.

In June, Tushingham punched the victim twice in the leg, grabbed her hair and slapped her, causing her to fall over on an upturned plug and resulting in her having difficulty walking and sitting for a number for a number of weeks.

He also grabbed her by the hair and threw a toaster which hit her on the hip in a separate incident in July.

In September, they had travelled to stay with Tushingham’s sister in Cambridge when the pair argued and he repeatedly slapped her round the head before he dragged her out of bed by her hair, hitting her head against a radiator which caused a cut on her lip.

Wendy Newton, prosecuting, said: “The victim said that the reason she had not reported the incidents earlier was because she didn’t think they were serious enough to waste police time with.

“But after speaking to her mother, she realised that the violence was getting worse.”

Tushingham, of Mains Avenue, Bamfurlong, Wigan, was given a 26 week sentence suspended for 12 months and ordered to attend a course called improving relations supporting change and carry out 80 hours of unpaid work.

A restraining order was also placed, banning him from contacting the victim, and he was ordered to pay court costs of £775, compensation of £500 and an £80 victim surcharge.

Judge Knight said: “You acted like a caveman, dragging the victim by her hair and assaulting her over a period of months between April and September.

“You are almost too dangerous for me to send you to prison because you need work done on you.

“You will be on the course with other men and I hope you find it quite repulsive the excuses people give for beating a woman because there is no excuse for acting like this.”

Rachel Andrews, defending, said that alcohol had played a part in each incident and that she was concerned for Tushingham’s mental health.

She said he has a full-time job at the Bolton News and had recently been promoted and was also the drummer in a band which is doing well and had festivals lined up in the summer.