A SOLDIER who dislocated his ex-wife's shoulder and put her in hospital has paid the price with his military career.

Father-of-two Michael Bailey, 28, a Lance Corporal in the First Battalion Queen's Lancashire Regiment, was jailed for six months.

His commanding officer Captain Alistair Smith told Burnley Crown Court that the defendant was a trusted, invaluable and experienced member of his battalion but would be discharged from the Army if he was sent to prison.

Bailey had twisted victim Lisa Bailey's arm behind her back and violently jerked her shoulder after she returned home in the early hours after a night out in Blackburn.

The defendant, who thought she had been having an affair, then belittled her injury and abused her while she was in excruciating pain - but later turned up at hospital with a "sorry," card for her, the court was told.

Mrs Bailey, who cared for the terminally ill, had an operation, faced further surgery and had not yet been able to return to work six months on.

Sentencing, Judge Stuart Baker said the attack was the culmination of an outburst of temper.

He said the defendant had a very responsible job, but so did the victim. She had not been in a position to stand up to the amount of force Bailey, a trained soldier, was able to administer.

The judge said that although the defendant had an impressive military record in most respects, he had been detained for 112 days at Catterick in 2000 for deserting. He had also been convicted of two public order offences and police assault.

The defendant, of Barkerhouse Road, Nelson, had earlier admitted assault causing actual bodily harm.

Sarah Spear, prosecuting, told the court the Baileys, who had two children, married in October 2000, but had a troubled relationship and divorced the year after. They then reconciled last April and moved in together in August.

Last September, Mrs Bailey went out in Blackburn with her friends.

When she got back at 2.45am he was at the top of the stairs with their five-year-old daughter. He started shouting and swearing, was angry and threw things about.

Martin Hackett, defending, urged the judge to allow the defendant to be allowed to stay in the Army.