A Suffolk man who kicked his partner in the face and held a broken chair leg against her throat during a row has been jailed for 27 months.

David Learmonth became aggressive and punched a wall above a radiator, causing a dent, at his partner's flat in Lowestoft, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

He then kicked his partner to the head while she was on the floor and threw a chair at a wall, damaging the chair and the wall.

Learmonth had then removed a broken leg from the chair and held it to her throat making it hard for to breathe, alleged Daniel Benjamin, prosecuting.

She managed to escape to the kitchen where she set off the smoke alarm to allow her some temporary respite.

Learmonth left the kitchen but then returned and she sprayed bleach towards his face.

During the incident, the woman texted a neighbour asking her to call the police and sent a friend a text saying: 'Phone me. Emergency.'

As a result of the incident she had a cut to her head, a bruise on her face and marks on her neck.

After his arrest Learmonth denied causing damage to her property and claimed damage had been caused by a television falling off the wall.

He claimed he was the victim of violence from his partner and alleged she had hit him and sprayed him with bleach.

Learmonth, 30, of Burnham Way, Lowestoft, denied assault causing her actual bodily harm and damaging furniture and walls at her home on December 13 last year but was convicted of both offences.

Giving evidence, he claimed she had hit him with a bottle and poured bleach on his face and clothing after accusing him of having an affair.

He denied punching the wall or throwing a chair at it and holding a chair leg across her throat.

He also denied kicking her and claimed he had pushed her over when he was trying to get to a sink to wash the bleach out of his eye.