A man struck his girlfriend in the street after an argument over him looking at other women in the pub.

Alexander Vasil, 28, of Albert Square, Great Yarmouth, admitted assault by beating when he appeared at Great Yarmouth Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

The court heard Vasil and his partner had been drinking in the Troll Cart in Regent Road on October 4 when an argument erupted.

Lesla Small, prosecuting, said the victim had not made a formal statement and that there were three independent witnesses in the area at the time.

She said: 'One of the witnesses who was working at the time says it was about 8.30pm.

'Her attention was drawn to shouting from outside and she saw that during their argument the male slapped the female to her cheek. The woman did not move and they both continued the argument.

'The male then ran off and the woman ran after him.

'Another witness waiting for a bus said he saw the male slap the woman to the face and she stepped back slightly. Due to what he witnessed he phoned the police and during the call he saw the man run off.

'The taxi driver that took the woman home said she was crying and she disclosed to the taxi driver that her boyfriend had hit her in the face and taken her credit card and money.'

When Vasil was arrested and interviewed he said the relationship was good, except when she had been drinking.

On this occasion they had both been drinking at the pub and when they went out for a cigarette she started screaming at him.

He made to leave, she grabbed him and he pushed her away, he stated.

'He accepted that this was counted as an assault and said he was sorry for his actions,' Ms Small said.

Robert Barley, for Vasil, said: 'The argument, he will say, related to Mr Vasil looking at other females.

'He got up and went outside to have a cigarette, she followed and the argument continued. During the course of the argument Mr Vasil pushed her away.'

He said it was a spur of the moment incident and consumption of alcohol was a factor and that his client was ashamed.

Vasil was fined £80 and ordered to pay a £30 victim surcharge.