A DRUNKEN man beat up his wife in front of her children after a New Year's Day drinking session and then turned on a teenager who tried to help her.

Burnley Magistrates heard John Quigley, 51, dragged mother of six Donna Quigley out of bed by the wrists, hit her in the face and then attacked her with a 2ft compact disc stand.

The defendant accused her of having an affair with a 17-year-old boy and left his victim with a then suspected broken nose and toe, bruising on her upper arms, marks on her back, neck and head, swollen eyes and cut lips.

He escaped jail even though the bench said the attack on his partner was "absolutely disgraceful, nasty and cowardly," and had taken place in the presence of Mrs Quigley's children, aged from six to 16.

They added they had seriously considered sending the defendant to prison.

Quigley, of Healeywood Road, Burnley, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and assault by beating, on January 2.

He was given a 12 months community rehabilitation order to include the domestic violence prevention programme.

Joanne Shahzada, prosecuting, said the defendant started drinking at 10.30am on New Year's Day and he and his wife later visited various pubs.

Quigley was "horribly drunk," the victim refused to go to bed with him and got in her son's bed. The defendant dragged her out by her wrists.

Mark Williams, defending, who handed the justices letters from Mrs Quigley, said the defendant did not seek to reduce his responsibility and accepted what he did was wrong.