A drunken thug who carried out a degrading and nasty assault on his partner has walked free from court as the woman intends to reignite their relationship.

Hammad Ibrahim threw the mother of his child to the ground before straddling her and delivering repeated blows to her face and body.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the victim did not co-operate with police but witnesses were on hand to give evidence against the 36-year at his trial.

Olivia Randell, prosecuting, said Ibrahim attacked the woman as they made their way home in the early hours of the morning on May 7 last year.

She said the defendant was seen throwing her belongings around before pushing her to ground before repeatedly hitting her after he grabbed her by the back of her neck.

“He was holding her with one hand while throwing a punch with the other,” she said.

The court heard how part of the attack was captured on CCTV but it was the evidence of the witnesses that proved vital during the trial after the victim withdrew her support for the prosecution.

Ibrahim, of Portman Street, Middlesbrough, was found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm following a trial at magistrates’ court.

Benjamin Bell, mitigating, said the Sudanese national was working fulltime at a warehouse after initially arriving in the country as an asylum seeker.

He said: “He accepts drink was a problem and the probation service say they are able t work with him around that.”

Judge Jonathan Carroll told the defendant that public would be better served if he addressed his underlying issue with alcohol and his attitude towards women.

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“It was a degrading and nasty assault,” he said. “It’s clear to me that she intends to resume her relationship with you.

“There is a public interest in addressing the cause of your offences.”

Ibrahim was sentenced to nine months in prison suspended for two years and ordered to abstain from alcohol for 120 days.

He was also ordered to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work, attend 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and pay £705 towards court costs.