Man convicted on vicious attack on partner

Stephen White, 20, of Deans Close, also threatened to kill his terrified victim and her three year old son and bit her on the nose.

The attack happened after the couple argued during the early hours of Wednesday May 19.

Slightly built White pleased guilty to charges of threats to kill and assault occasioning actual bodily harm when he appeared at Hastings Magistrates Court last week.

The court heard that he had a similar conviction for assaulting another female partner in 2008.

Mark Kateley, prosecuting, said: "He has been in a relationship with this girl for seven months.

"Problems erupted at 4am after an argument developed. It was over the fact that he had fallen asleep on the sofa with the heating full on and she has become too hot.

"Words were exchanged and the argument became increasingly heated.

"He punched her to the back of the head five or six times.

"She managed to escape but he followed her grabbing her phone out of her hand.

"He grabbed her hair, pulled her to the ground and then stood over her punching her.

"He then held her against the wall, held her chin up and said `I will kill you'.

"He told her that her three year old son was `walking dead' and then bit down on her nose.

"She managed to lock herself in the bathroom and call an ex boyfriend. When the ex boyfriend arrived White had left the premises.

"When interviewed, White admitted to police hitting her multiple times and said he could not stop himself.

"He accepted biting her on the nose and said he was highly ashamed.

"This was a nasty sustained assault with aggravating features."

Aiden Harvey, defending, said: "I cannot mitigate on the offence but there was an early guilty plea."

Magistrates thought the case too serious to deal with and passed it to the Crown Court for sentencing. White was remanded in custody until committal papers can be drawn up.

Magistrates chairman David Wallace told White: "These are horrendous circumstances. I don't know what is the matter with you.

"We are remanding you in custody due to your previous history, the serious nature of this assault and to protect witnesses."