Laura Bagshaw A GORLESTON man slapped his partner's face and then dragged her down the road after accusing her of seeing another man, a court heard. Scott George-Learmonth, 29, of Magdalen Way, appeared before Great Yarmouth Magistrates' Court last Thursday and pleaded guilty to two counts of assault, and being in breach of a suspended sentence order.

Laura Bagshaw

A GORLESTON man slapped his partner's face and then dragged her down the road after accusing her of seeing another man, a court heard.

Scott George-Learmonth, 29, of Magdalen Way, appeared before Great Yarmouth Magistrates' Court last Thursday and pleaded guilty to two counts of assault, and being in breach of a suspended sentence order.

The court heard that on August 24, Learmonth's then girlfriend, Amy Thompson, had gone to a pub with a friend at lunchtime and left at around 5pm after drinking seven pints of lager.

It was while she was walking home that Learmonth approached her and accused her of seeing another man. The court heard Learmonth slapped her and dragged her down the road. The incident was witnessed by Ms Thompson's friend who told police Ms Thompson had grabbed hold of a lamp-post to stop the defendant pulling her, and was holding on so tightly her hands turned blue.

Prosecuting, Conrad Shaw said the second assault was the following morning when Ms Thompson woke up to find her mobile phone did not work and went to collect her car with Learmonth.

On the way home she told him she wanted to end the relationship. When the couple got home Learmonth pushed her on to a chair and punched her twice in the face causing her nose to bleed.

Mr Shaw said: “She tried to get upstairs to the bathroom but he kept pulling her back. After the incident he apologised and she let him stay that night because she was too scared about what he might do if she asked him to leave.”

During police interview Learmonth denied the incidents but accepted he had a problem with his temper.

Mr Shaw said: “He told officers he gets blackouts when he is angry and might end up killing someone.”

Mitigating, Chris Bowles said Learmonth had been to his GP to seek help for his anger.

He said: “For about five years he has been taking powerful medication to deal with depression, he needs his medication to calm him down.”

Mr Bowles explained that during the week leading up to the incident Learmonth had been unable to collect his prescription due to work commitments. The court also heard that the father-of-one, who has a previous conviction for violence, had been working with the probation service for the last two years and had made good progress - gaining employment and ditching his drug habit.

Learmonth will appear before magistrates on October 3 for sentencing.