A CHARD man who dragged his partner out of her car leaving her lying injured on the side of the road has been given a 12-week suspended prison sentence by magistrates.

Robert James Catleugh blamed the state of the victim’s house for their child contracting impetigo, and after threatening to punch her in the head and drag her out of the car, he carried out his threat.

Appearing before Somerset magistrates in Yeovil, Catleugh, 31, of Ernest Ashman Place, admitted assaulting the woman during the incident at Ilminster on August 10 when he appeared before Somerset Magistrates at Yeovil.

Prosecutor Christine Hart said the couple had been in an eight-year relationship and she had previously been subjected to domestic violence from the defendant and a restraining order was put in place which was later removed at her request.

“On August 10 she offered to take Catleugh to his home address and during the car journey the defendant became worked up, making comments about the state of her home and suggesting that was why their child had impetigo,” she said.

“He said he felt like punching her in the head, and said if she pulled over then he would drag her out of the vehicle.

“She did pull over, and Catleugh pushed her and dragged her out of the car onto the floor and she sustained bruising to her body.

“He then drove off and when he caught up with her he threw the keys at her and walked off.”

The police were called and he was arrested and admitted he had told her he felt like smacking her in the face because she was winding him up, but denied using offensive language to describe her home.

He said that when she pulled the car over he took the keys and pulled her out of the car by her arm onto the ground, got back in and within 30 seconds realised what he had done.

In mitigation, Bill Gayer said the defendant admitted culpability for the offence and was asking for help.

“There was an argument between them and he accepts he pulled her out of the car but then realised what he had done and drove back and threw the keys near her and then stormed off,” he said.

He added that there was a history of problems within the relationship and Catleugh was currently doing a plumbing course and was hoping to get into work soon.

The magistrates imposed a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and during that time ordered him to complete a 42 day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and pay a £115 victim surcharge.