A YOUNG dad smashed the nose of the woman he claimed he loved and then turned on a police officer, a court was told.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Loran Britcliffe, 26, had been 'gutted' after his ex-girlfriend Karen Bottomley, told him she was having a relationship with his best friend.

He kicked her in the face, breaking her nose -- but his barrister told the court the defendant had loved her -- and still did.

Car salesman Britcliffe, of Water Street, Accrington, was sent to prison for a total of 15 months, after admitting two counts of assault causing actual bodily harm and being committed for sentence by the Hyndburn magistrates.

Sentencing him, Judge Raymond Bennett said if Miss Bottomley was not seeing the defendant she was entitled to live her life as she wished -- and he was not entitled to hit her.

Neil Standage, prosecuting, said Britcliffe and Miss Bottomley had had a relationship, but that ended last September.

He approached Miss Bottomley in Accrington town centre in June, words were exchanged and he hit her in the face, knocking her to the floor.

Robert Crawford, defending, said Britcliffe was thoroughly decent and hard working and the mother of his child had written a letter saying he had never laid a finger on her. He was not a violent man.

Mr Crawford added: "The defendant loved Miss Bottomley and still loves her very much."