A DRUG addict attacked his long-term partner over her noisy lodger, Burnley Magistrates heard.

The court was told how Simon Anderson, 44, was said to have punched and headbutted Samantha Delaney, leaving her with a temporary loss of sight.

Anderson, said to have an extremely lengthy criminal record which started in 1977, was given a 12 months conditional discharge. The defendant, of Leeds Road, Nelson, who has three previous convictions for violence, admitted common assault. He was told to pay £50 compensation.

Margaret Duckworth, prosecuting, told the court the defendant hit Miss Delaney twice in the face and butted her on the foreheard.

She suffered pain above her right eye, swelling and temporarily lost the sight in her right eye.

Richard Taylor, defending, said Anderson was introduced to heroin at the age of 37 and became addicted.

He was trying to resolve the problem and was currently on methadone. The defendant and the victim had been together for 12 years and she also had a drug related problem.

Miss Delaney had a lodger who sat in his room and played loud music 12 hours a day. Anderson could not hear himself think, shouted to the lodger and Miss Delaney came to the lodger's defence. She then went towards the defendant and he thought he was going to be attacked.