A man who punched his former girlfriend in the face during a late night argument in her car has walked free from court after she told a judge she wanted to give him another chance.

Karalina Kolosova told Judge Rupert Overbury that she had forgiven Humayun Shamsher for the attack which left her with a black eye and wanted him to live with her and her children.

Shamsher, 23, of Ipswich Street, Stowmarket admitted assaulting Miss Kolosova causing her actual bodily harm on May 11, theft of her car keys and burglary at her home in Barn Lane, Bury St Edmunds.

Sentencing him at Ipswich a Crown Court to a 12 month community order, with 12 months supervision and 120 hours unpaid work in the community Judge Overbury told Shamsher the sentence had been influenced by what Miss Kolosova told him.

“It seems she wants to start again and for you to have a relationship again with her and her children and she asks that I give you and her this chance.

“Domestic violence is taken extremely seriously by the courts and if it wasn’t for her you could be facing an entirely different sentence,” said the judge.

“Her views can’t dictate the sentence but I certainly can take them into account,” he added.

In addition to the community order Shamsher was also ordered to pay a £50 fine and £250 costs.

Matthew Gowen, prosecuting, said the couple met while working at Domino’s Pizza in Bury St Edmunds and had started a relationship which ended in December last year.

There was some contact between them in early 2014 and on May 11 they met by chance at a Bury nightclub.

When Miss Kolosova left the club Shamsher followed her and tried to talk to her by knocking on the car window.

As Miss Kolosova drove away she saw Shamsher walking towards her home and she stopped and told him not to go to her house, said Mr Gowen.

Shamsher was drunk and aggressive and ignoring her protests got into the car.

He grabbed Miss Kolosova by her hair and punched her in the face causing a black eye.

He then leant across her and removed the car keys and got out of the car. Miss Kolosova locked herself in and Shamsher had hit and kicked the car trying to get back in, said Mr Gowen.

When Miss Kolosova returned home later she found Shamsher had smashed a window and stolen a spare set of keys.

Charles Kellett for Shamsher said his client had been in his present job for five years and was highly regarded by his employer.