A man fractured the nose of his former partner in front of her young son after repeatedly striking her with a metal hoover pole, a court has heard.

Ronan Paden, 31, had promised to change following previous incidents involving his partner, who he had been in a relationship with for a couple of years.

Norwich Crown Court heard that the victim had offered to pick Paden up from work, but he said he was going to the pub.

Duncan O’Donnell, prosecuting, said the victim, who was at home with her son, went to bed before Paden started “banging on the door” at her address in West Norfolk, between 10.30pm and 11pm.

The victim opened the door, but Paden “launched himself at her and grabs her around the throat”.

Paden, who was drunk, was told he was sleeping downstairs, but he followed her upstairs before he “burst into the bedroom” shouting and swearing and “punched her repeatedly to the head”.

Mr O’Donnell said the victim was able to evade a number of the blows but he picked up a metal hoover pole and hit her “a number of times across the face with it”.

Mr O’Donnell said the attack ended when the victim’s son came into the room and turned the light off.

It was then the victim grabbed him and ran to her mother’s house.

She suffered a fractured nose and two black eyes as a result of the attack on September 30 this year.

Mr O’Donnell said there was no impact statement, although she had indicated to police that she did not feel safe at home or while she was out.

She indicated that she wanted nothing more to do with him.

The court heard Paden had been sentenced to a community order for criminal damage to the victim’s car on July 11 this year.

Paden, of Loke Road, King’s Lynn, appeared at court on Monday (November 9) for sentence having admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH).

Sentencing him to 12 months in prison, Judge Maureen Bacon said: “You are a drunk and when you drink you act appallingly.”

Hugh Vass, mitigating, admitted it was an unpleasant incident but was not pre-meditated, adding that Paden was not heavily convicted and did not have a “serious record for violence, domestic or otherwise”.

Paden was also made the subject of an article indefinite restraining order meaning he cannot contact the victim.