A MAN was spared jail yesterday after a court heard his girlfriend had forgiven him for headbutting her.

Lee Nagle pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm to Pavla Jirku at the home they share in Woodfield Place, Harrogate.

Harrogate magistrates were told that Ms Jirku wanted Nagle back.

Ann Darwin, prosecuting, said Nagle had been out drinking last Sunday night and when he returned the pair started to argue.

Nagle, 25, grabbed his partner's hair and punched her on the cheek before catching hold of her leg and twisting it.

As she scratched and kicked Nagle in a bid to break free, he grabbed her by the neck and headbutted her nose.

Mrs Darwin said it was believed Ms Jirku's nose and one of her fingers may have been broken in the attack, but she told police she did not want to press charges.

In mitigation, Richard Buchanan said Nagle hoped to get back together with Ms Jirku, who he said had forgiven him for assaulting her.

Mr Buchanan said Ms Jirku thought Nagle had been out with another woman, when he had been drinking with three male friends.

That misunderstanding led to the dispute.

He said the incident had taught Nagle a lesson about the evils of drink.

Court chairman David Marlow told Nagle headbutting was regarded so seriously that magistrates' guidelines gave a prison sentence as the starting point.

But because it had been a one-off incident, said to be out of character, and because there had been a reconciliation, he was fined £200 with £55 costs.