A MAN who carried out a sustained and vicious attack on his girlfriend has been spared an immediate jail term.

Lee Medcalf, 29, was said to have spat at Charlene Lawless and bitten her nose during a repeated assault on July 7. Miss Lawless suffered multiple bruises following a late night incident in Kendal which was said to have had a profound effect on her.

Medcalf appeared at Carlisle Crown Court yesterday having pleaded guilty to causing Miss Lawless actual bodily harm. He also admitted assaulting her by beating on July 4 and causing criminal damage at her home on July 20.

Medcalf, of Crummock Drive, Kendal, was given a four-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. He received a number of community orders, a four-month night time curfew and must complete 120 hours of unpaid work.

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A restraining order was also made. This prevents Medcalf from contacting his now former partner in any way for five years, and going within 200 metres of her home.

The court heard that Miss Lawless - 5ft 2in tall and weighing only seven stones - was attacked over a "considerable period" on July 7.

Having been thrown against railings in the street, her head was banged against a wall and she was then grabbed numerous times once indoors.

Medcalf's violence prompted her to escape to the shower, the court was told. But the court heard he followed her to the bathroom and took hold of the shower head.

"He grabbed her hair and held the shower in front of her face," said Beccy McGregor, prosecuting. "She was panicking and thought she was going to drown. She describes believing she was going to die. She went limp and flopped over."

Miss Lawless, whose injuries were limited to bruising, was sent texts the following day by an apologetic Medcalf, who said he still loved her.

Three days earlier, he had grabbed Miss Lawless around the throat having become "extremely angry". Then, on July 20, while on bail for the actual bodily harm assault, he went to her house and smashed glass in the front door in an attempt to gain entry.

Tim Evans, in mitigation, said Medcalf, a chef, accepted much of his criminal behaviour, which also included pressing a metal curtain pole to her neck.

However, he denied some of Miss Lawless's claims, including the deliberate spitting.

Medcalf had stopped taking his medication before the three incidents, and his excess drinking then made the situation worse.

But Mr Evans said of the assaults and damage: "There is no excuse, I make no excuse and, more importantly, he makes no excuse for that which he did."