A MAN subjected his partner to a brutal and prolonged beating during which she lost consciousness.

Blackburn magistrates heard that when Donna Arkwright's mother and grandmother came to her assistance, they too were assaulted by Robert Armour Reid Laing.

And stipendiary magistrate Jonathon Finestein said he did not have sufficient powers to punish Laing, whom he committed in custody to Preston Crown Court for sentence.

Laing, 35, of Brookfield Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assaulting Donna Arkwright causing actual harm and assaulting Denise Arkwright and Halina McGlynn.

Emma Kehoe, prosecuting, said that on the day of the offence, Laing had been out drinking all day and when he returned home there was an argument. He put some music on very loud and when Miss Arkwright turned it off because their young son was in bed, he tore a metal fireguard from its wall clips and threw it at her.

Miss Arkwright tried to protect herself but after spitting all over her Reid lunged at her and punched and slapped her in the face and body. He then dragged her to the floor by her hair and sat on her, so that she could not move, before beating her repeatedly about the head and body. He then straddled her as she sat on the sofa and forcibly tried to kiss her.

Miss Arkwright managed to get the phone and call her grandmother, but Laing got to his feet and started beating her again. He dragged her back to the phone and tried to make her call her back.

Laing then locked the door and warned Miss Arkwright that if anyone came he would kill her. A few moments later the doorbell rang and when Laing answered the door Mrs Arkwright forced her way in followed by her mother.

During a struggle that followed, Mrs Arkwright was pushed to the floor but Miss Arkwright managed to flee from the house and call the police.

The court heard that Laing had been put on probation for nine months in August for an offence of assault on a taxi driver and had received a prison sentence for an offence of actual bodily harm in 1989.

Michael Blacklidge, defending, said that since his most recent conviction Laing had been attending courses to do with his temper and attitude.

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