A MAN who ripped out his ex-girlfriend's earring before head-butting her in an unprovoked attack has been spared jail.

A MAN who ripped out his ex-girlfriend's earring before head-butting her in an unprovoked attack has been spared jail.

South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court heard that jobless Egon Linnemoller had assaulted the same woman only two months earlier.

However, justices opted against sending the 25-year-old to prison, instead punishing him with a two-month jail term, suspended for two years.

Linnemoller, of Kingsland, Shotley, pleaded guilty to assault at an earlier hearing.

He also admitted smashing his former partner's mobile phone, threatening to damage property belonging to her neighbour and possessing methadone.

The court was told he had flown into a rage after being refused entry to the victim's home in Key Street, Ipswich on August 25.

After the attack, his ex-girlfriend - the mother of his baby son - had tried to call police. But before she could, Linnemoller grabbed her mobile phone and broke it in two.

Ian Duckworth, mitigating, said his client's former partner wanted Linnemoller to receive professional help - a plea with which the defendant agreed.

Mr Duckworth added: “He has the nous to say 'I do have a problem and I need some help'.”

Linnemoller was sentenced to a concurrent four-week jail term suspended for two years for possessing methadone.

He was also given a two-year supervision order and told not to visit his victim's home for a period of six months.

Magistrates told the defendant to pay a total of �160 in compensation to his former partner.

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