Man who bit girlfriend and hit her with metal pole jailed

Stephen Marland, 41, attacked Paula Boardman in the living room of her home at Cecil Street, Leigh, in May of this year after he turned up at her house drunk and bleeding from a wound to his hand.

Bolton Crown Court heard Ms Boardman had tended to Marland's injuries before he began hitting her with a metal pole, biting her ear and punching her repeatedly.

At one point he grabbed her by the neck so tight she thought she would lose consciousness with Fiona McNeill, prosecuting, describing how Marland, of Charleston Court, Tyldesley, also kissed her and told her he was sorry during the attack.

Following the assault Marland told Ms Boardman they could "sort out their stories" and tell people her injuries were caused by her falling down the stairs or tripping over a lead from her radio.

Ms McNeill said that Ms Boardman's sister phoned her the following morning and arrived as the defendant was leaving.

She found her sister had suffered bruising, two black eyes and was in pain when she walked and decided to contact a support worker who called the police.

Marland was arrested later that day and told officers Ms Boardman had sustained her injuries from falling down the stairs and hitting a radiator.

Ms McNeill added that he had 14 previous convictions including one for battery of a previous partner in 2013.

Helen Longworth, defending, said Marland, who pleaded guilty on November 4, had been in a "vulnerable mental state" at the time of the incident due to the recent death of his mother.

She added that he was taking steps to address his alcohol problem while in custody where he had been since May 21.

Sentencing Marland to 27 months imprisonment, Judge Graeme Smith said the incident was "a nasty, sustained assault", adding that a pre-sentence report had shown the defendant had displayed a "high level of victim blaming".

Marland will also be the subject of a five year restraining order not to approach or contact Ms Boardman.