A man who flew into a rage and punched his partner at her Ipswich home has been jailed for 34 weeks.

Grace Moffatt was screaming and bleeding from her face during the attack following an argument at her home in Braeburn Close and begged Benjamin Thomas: “Please don’t hurt me. Stop. I’m bleeding badly,” Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Russell Butcher, prosecuting, said Thomas, who had been in a relationship with Miss Moffatt for more than two years, had punched her in the face while she was on the bedroom floor.

During the incident Miss Moffatt dialled 999 and Thomas was subsequently arrested. Thomas, 27, of Hanson Court, Cambridge, admitted assault by beating on March 14 and breach of a non-molestation order and was jailed for a total of 34 weeks, less 33 days he has spent on tagged bail. He was also banned from contacting Miss Moffatt for three years.

Jailing him, Judge John Devaux said the offences were committed in the context of a “volatile and destructive” relationship.

Mr Butcher told the court that Thomas, who has a previous conviction for criminal damage in relation to Miss Moffatt, was made the subject of a non-molestation order in respect of Miss Moffatt in December 2015.

Despite the order the couple had continued to see each other and Thomas had sent Miss Moffatt messages on Facebook.

Paul Donegan, for Thomas, said his client had no intention of maintaining any contact with Miss Moffatt in the future.