A 37-YEAR-OLD Darwen man subjected his estranged wife to a ferocious beating after finding a photograph of another man on her bedside cabinet.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Deborah Bentley lost count of the number of blows as she was punched repeatedly about the face, head and body and she could taste the blood as it ran inside her mouth.

After a brief respite, the attack resumed and, after being punched to her knees, Mrs Bentley was kicked full in the stomach.

Mrs Bentley said she was "completely helpless" and thought she was going to die. She eventually ran from the house, coughing up blood, wearing only a pair of knickers and a track suit top ,and was taken to the police station after managing to flag down a passing taxi.

Bentley, 37, of Sandon Street, Darwen, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm. The case was adjourned to February 22 pending pre-sentence reports and further details on Mrs Bentley's injuries.

The magistrates warned Bentley, who has no previous convictions, that all sentencing options would be open, including committing to the Crown Court.

John Wood, prosecuting, said the couple divorced three years ago because of previous incidents of violence. They had resumed their relationship eight months earlier but had separated again.

Two days before Christmas, they met in a takeaway in Darwen and went back to her house to eat their supper. Mrs Bentley agreed that he could stay the night and they went to bed, but as they undressed she felt he was getting angry.

He then walked round the bed and punched her in the face. That punch started the onslaught.

"He began to rain blows on my face and head," Mrs Bentley said in a statement. "There were so many punches all I could do was curl up and protect my face with my hands. I was screaming at him to stop.

"I could feel my face swelling and could taste blood. I could feel it running out of my mouth."

She thought the attack lasted for about five minutes before it suddenly stopped. She began to cough up blood and said to Bentley that she needed help. He was standing in the bedroom door, crying, and said, 'I have blown it this time'.

Mr Wood said Mrs Bentley suffered extensive bruising and one side of her face was still numb. She will see a specialist in February to assess damage to a bone below her eye.

He said he had spoken to Mrs Bentley on the telephone to confirm she had written a letter to the court saying she did not want her ex-husband to go to prison.

"She also confirmed that the relationship is over and there is no prospect of further reconciliation."

Stephen Parker, defending, accepted that in normal circumstances, in the absence of such an indication from the aggrieved, the magistrates would be considering a custodial sentence.

"It is a very serious allegation of assault," said Mr Parker. He said Bentley had suspected his ex-wife of having a relationship with a man she was working with but she had flatly denied it."

On this night, after they had finished their meal, they went to bed and on the bedside table was a picture of this particular man."

He said: "He accepts that when he saw that, he snapped and lost control."