A "PERFECT" husband who smashed his wife in the eye has started an eight-month jail term.

Drunken Stuart Little, 39, punched victim Carole Little twice after she came in from a works Christmas "do."

But she told police he had been a "perfect new husband" and she wanted him home - provided he did not drink, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Little had two previous convictions for driving with excess alcohol.

Judge Raymond Bennett told Little that when he was not drinking he was apparently a perfectly nice and reasonable man.

The judge said: "The message must go out that men who behave like that towards women, or indeed, women who behave like that towards men, must expect something unpleasant to happen to them."

Little, a baking engineer, of The Moorings, Burnley, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm and assaulting a police officer.

Dennis Watson, prosecuting, said last December 18, Mrs Little had been on the works "do" and returned home in the early hours.

Little demanded to know where she had been, an argument followed and Little went into the bedroom and punched his wife. Mrs Little fell to the floor. Mrs Little's son went into the room and Little hit his wife in the eye again.

The son reassured his mother he had telephoned the police, and officers arrived to find Mrs Little with blood pouring from her eye and extremely distressed.

Little was clearly drunk and began to struggle violently as he was arrested.

He was handcuffed and put in the police van but refused to get out at the station.

He kicked out at an officer and continued to be unruly in the police station.

Mr Watson said Mrs Little suffered a fracture to the bottom of her eye socket and the eye was blackened.

Robert Crawford, defending, said Little's wife had described him in a police statement as a "perfect new husband." He had decorated their home and worked all hours and she thought a considerable amount of him.

Little had been home looking after the youngster, had been drinking and was no doubt upset about the time his wife returned home.

He went on: "Drink is no excuse. He is determined nothing like this will ever happen again.

"He doesn't want to ruin the family he's got, the relationship and his job."

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