MICHAEL Gerard Lynch attacked his cheating wife after a row because she had invited her ex-boyfriend to their home.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Lynch punched his wife in the face as she slept in bed and then butted her in the eye.

And he told police that he had drunk three and a half litres of wine prior to the attack.

Lynch, 25, of Dyson Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assaulting Sharon Lynch and was sentenced to five months in prison.

Emma Kehoe, prosecuting, said Mrs Lynch had gone to bed following an argument during which her husband was very abusive. While she was asleep, punched her in the mouth. She eventually managed to sneak out of the house and call the police.

Adrian Williams, defending, said it had been a turbulent relationship, punctuated by Mrs Lynch's infidelity. The latest incident had been sparked when she invited an ex-boyfriend to their house but Lynch had also discovered that, while he was serving a recent prison sentence, she had an affair with his elder brother.

"He now accepts that the relationship with her is not a good idea for him, for her or for their children," said Mr Williams.

District judge Jonathon Finestein said it was the third time Lynch had assaulted his wife and he had convictions for assaults on other people.

"I accept that this incident started because of a row and because your wife was unfaithful to you," said Mr Finestein.

"But, having got yourself drunk, you went to her in bed and treated her like a punch bag. This was an unprovoked attack on someone who was asleep and women need to protected from assaults of this sort."