A WOMAN was assaulted by her partner but could not escape as both were curfewed to the house, a court was told.

Burnley magistrates heard how Katie Tillotson tried to alert police , but Alan Butler, 30, tried to stop her.

The defendant had hit the victim's head and grabbed her arm, injuring her.

Butler, 30, of Grange Street, Burnley, admitted common assault.

He was given a 24 month supervision order with the community domestic violence programme and must pay £75 compensation and £75 costs.

The court had been told how Miss Tillotson was at home after returning from her mother's. The defendant had been drinking and was angry.

Butler came downstairs, they rowed and she tried to press the button which alerted police on a Securicor box.

Miss Tillotson suffered a bruised arm in the attack and had been left scared. Butler had 11 previous convictions.

Sara Lyle, defending, said Butler and Miss Tillotson had argued all weekend. She had been calling him humiliating names and normally he would take himself away.

Both parties were subject to a curfew at the address and he was unable to do that. He went upstairs to get away from Miss Tillotson, but he then came back down and tried to reason with her. He struck her on the back of the head.