A 34-YEAR-OLD man repeatedly punched his wife during a prolonged attack in the presence of their two children.

Blackburn magistrates heard that at one stage Sehraan Mir punched his wife in the face as she held their infant son, who was crying as a result of the incident.

District judge Paul Firth told the defendant he would have sent him to prison had his hands not been tied by the decision of a previous bench.

"I can't send you to prison but I will make a community punishment order and warn you that if you breach that order I would send you to prison for at least three months," he added.

Mir, 34, of Kelsall Avenue, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assaulting Rabia Mir. He was ordered to do 150 hours community punishment and pay £100 costs.

Scott Ainge, prosecuting, said an argument had developed between the couple because Mrs Mir was concerned about why Mir had been following their son around the house all day.

"He suddenly got up and ran at her, punching her in the face and then grabbed her by the hair shouting that she was a 'bitch'," said Mr Ainge. "Mrs Mir was concerned for her safety and that of her children who were aged eight and 18 months."

He said both children were crying and Mrs Mir picked up her youngest child and asked her husband to leave. "He punched her again while she was holding the child," said Mr Ainge.

Mrs Mir tried to call the police but Mir ripped the telephone wire out of the wall and hit his wife four or five times about the body with the receiver.

When she tried to flee from the house with her children, Mir slammed the door and again punched her in the face. He punched her again before leaving the house with the children. Mrs Mir said the incident lasted about 10 minutes.

Mike Singleton, defending, said that after the incident in October, the couple had reconciled and Mir had returned to the matrimonial home in December. His wife was now expecting their third child.

Mr Singleton said his client had initially pleaded not guilty on the basis of self defence but, after the reconciliation, had changed his plea to avoid the need for his wife to come to court to give evidence.