A DAD assaulted his wife in front of their 22-month-old daughter, Burnley magistrates heard.

Elahi Ihsan, 25, was said to have attacked the victim before during their four-year marriage.

She would say he was a "complete control freak" who had slapped, punched and kicked her and thrown things at her, the court was told.

The victim had felt unable to report him to the police before as she was worried her family would think it was all her fault, the court was told.

The defendant, of Commercial Street, Brierfield, admitted assault by beating, following the incident last November.

He was given a six-month community order with supervision and told to pay £75 compensation and £100 costs.

Elizabeth Read, prosecuting, told the court the victim saying anything Ihsan did not like would set off his mood swings.

The victim, who had been to her mother's, had gone home. Her 22-month-old daughter was asleep on the settee. The defendant turned up and started shouting and swearing at her as he did not like her going out.

The defendant then "went for" his wife, pushing her. She grabbed the phone and called her sister, who said she was going to call the police. The little girl had been woken up and was crying.

Mrs Read said officers arrived and found the victim sobbing and with a red and swollen face. Ihsan told police: "It's Pakistani culture and I have hit her."

Nick Cassidy, defending, said Ihsan maintained he had returned from work and did not know where his wife was.

He added: "He knows he's at fault."