AN ALCOHOLIC punched her partner in the face as he held her four-year-old daughter in his arms, a court was told.

Burnley Magistrates heard how Lisa Jayne Faulkner, 32, hit Ashley Proctor in the nose after he picked up the crying child.

Faulkner, of Greaveclough Drive, Bacup, admitted assault by beating on January 17.

The defendant, who has trained in hairdressing and beauty, but is now jobless, was given a community order with 12 months supervision.

The court heard the defendant was set to go into rehabilitation and the bench told her she should grab the opportunity and get a grip of her life-otherwise she was destroying herself.

Bill Maude, prosecuting, told the court at the time the defendant was living with Mr Proctor and her daughter. The relationship had had problems because of Faulkner's drinking.

After she drank a whole bottle of wine, he was concerned and went upstairs to get out of the way.

Mr Maude said the defendant went upstairs with her daughter and started to argue with Mr Proctor. He told her not to argue in front of the child.

Faulkner, who has previous convictions for drink-related offences, then lashed out at him and punched him. Mr Proctor grabbed hold of the defendant's arm, but she turned round and threw another punch. He was hit in the face, nose and mouth.

The victim was then punched in the left eye as the shouting continued. Mr Proctor picked up the four year old to get her out of the room and Faulkner then hit him again, on the nose. The child was crying and Mr Proctor took her into her bedroom and rang the police.

David Leach, defending, said Faulkner's long-term objectives were to become free of her alcohol dependency and to take back full-time custody of her daughter, who was being looked after by her mother.

He added: "She realises that will not happen until she makes some strides towards curing her dreadful illness."