A MAN struck his partner in front of her young child, a court heard yesterday.

Roy Levy threw a cup and hit the woman before bringing her daughter into the room and raining further blows on her in front of the child.

Durham Crown Court was told that Levy, 46, who has an extensive criminal record, was attempting to go straight after his release more than three years previously from a four-year prison sentence.

The court heard he moved from the South Yorkshire area to County Durham, and began a relationship with the woman, who was in her 20s.

After a row over an unpaid bill, which he believed had been settled, he threw the cup at her before punching her.

John Gillette, prosecuting, said the china cup smashed, and small particles of it were found embedded in the woman's scalp when she was medically examined.

Levy, of Kimberley Crescent, Coundon, near Bishop Auckland, had admitted unlawful wounding at a previous hearing.

Dan Cordey, mitigating, said Levy managed to steer clear of trouble from his prison release in January 2000 until the incident, on October 11 last year.

"Genuinely he does appear to be trying to turn over a new leaf," he said.

"He knows drink is a problem for him, and would welcome assistance with that. He knows he has a problem controlling his anger."

Jailing him for nine months, Judge Maurice Carr told Levy: "You are no stranger to prison sentences and that is the only way of dealing with offences such as these."