A man attacked his partner hitting her legs with a wooden sword stick and biting her cheek and ear lobe in what a judge described as a "disgraceful" assault.

Miguel Pereira, 39, had been drinking before carrying out the attack with a wooden swordstick, hitting his partner as she lay in bed, Norwich Crown Court heard on Monday.

Oliver Haswell, prosecuting, said the victim woke up to find Pereira standing over her and he then struck her legs repeatedly using the stick.

He said she managed to get out of the bed but he continued the attack and bit her cheek and ear lobe, causing reddening to her skin.

Mr Haswell said the victim managed to escape from the home in King's Lynn and police were called.

He said although the victim suffered bruising there were no lasting injuries and she declined to make any victim impact statement.

Mr Haswell said it had been a sustained assault on a vulnerable victim.

Pereira, formerly of King's Lynn, admitted causing actual bodily harm in February 2020.

Jonathan Goodman, for Pereira, said that it was a volatile relationship and he now accepted the relationship was over and had moved to Blackpool.

"It has given him an opportunity to reflect on that relationship. It is a relationship that has come to an end," he said.

He said Pereira moved to Blackpool to "break the chain" and had since been responding well to support he had been getting from probation.

Mr Goodman said Pereira accepted that there would be a restraining order for him not to contact the victim and said the offence had caused him to rethink his life: "He has made some significant efforts to pull himself up by his bootstraps and to effectively re-order his life."

Jailing him for eight months suspended for two years, recorder William Clegg QC told Pereira: "This was disgraceful conduct by you attacking your partner in this way. It must have been terrifying for her."

He imposed a restraining order on Pereira not to contact the victim for the next five years.

However he accepted that Pereira had been making progress under the support of probation.

If you are experiencing domestic abuse you can get in touch with Leeway by calling 0300 561 0077 or at adviceandsupport@leewaynwa.org.uk