BURNLEY'S top judge slammed the amount of violence committed by men against women and warned "wife beaters have to stop."

Judge Raymond Bennett's comments came as he sentenced a man who had attacked his former partner after turning up uninvited at her home in the early hours.

The Honorary Recorder told Trevor Banyard -- who had threatened to bury victim Tracey Brown -- there was far too much violence against women.

He went on: "Men must understand if they use violence and are caught causing the kind of injuries that you did there has to be a prison sentence. This sort of violence has got to stop." Burnley Crown Court had been told how the defendant had started to throttle Miss Brown, urinated on her carpet and then banged her head on the fireplace. Banyard was arrested cowering in an attic and could not remember what he did.

The defendant, 37, of Thorn Street, Bacup, had admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and criminal damage.

He was jailed for a total of eight months -- his first term of custody.

Martin Hackett, prosecuting, said in the early hours of May 10, Banyard went to the home of the victim with whom he had had an "on off" relationship. After making threats and squeezing her neck, he poured cider on the floor and threw a coffee table at Miss Brown.

He then grabbed hold of her, dragged her across the room by her hair and banged her head on the chimney breast as she screamed and feared for her safety. Miss Brown managed to push her attacker away and ran to a phone box to ring the police. She suffered bruising and swelling to her neck, head, shin and arm. When the defendant was later arrested, he said he had had between seven and 10 pints, woke up in his shed and couldn't remember anything. David Tempkin, defending, said Banyard was disgusted with himself. His remorse was genuine and he conceded his behaviour must have been a very frightening experience for Miss Brown.

Mr Tempkin said the offence was out of character and a one-off and his previous offending history was somewhat limited. Banyard had had problems with drugs in the past but they did not now present a difficulty. Alcohol played a part in this offence but he did not have a drink problem. He was looking for work as a plasterer.

The barrister added custody would certainly punish the defendant, who was the captain of the darts team in his local pub, the Wellington. He knew prison was an very real option for the court.