A mother has been warned she could face jail after she attacked her husband in front of their two children.

Liz Venables, 41, of Aylsham Road, Norwich, pleaded guilty to assaulting her husband of nearly 11 years at Norwich Magistrates' Court yesterday.

The assault took place on Sunday, February 6 this year after Venables arrived home drunk from a night out with friends, the court heard.

Prosecuting Lisa Mayne said: 'She came home clearly intoxicated at about 9.30pm. They had a brief argument and their voices were raised and as a result, the children woke up.

'Her husband was shouting, Mrs Venables was shouting. She grabbed his shirt and ripped it. He managed to get the children away from the scene. Mrs Venables grabbed hold of him, lunged forward and then bit him on his left cheek.'

The court heard how Venables had drunk a quantity of vodka that evening. She also has a previous conviction for cruelty towards a child from last year.

Elizabeth Blenkinsop, mitigating, said: 'Last year was a very difficult year for Mrs Venables and things really came to a head. She suffers from depression and has been getting counselling from Norcas.

'She is abstaining from alcohol, but has a blip on occasions where she does give in to temptation. She recalls returning home on that evening and the argument. She accepts that her husband wouldn't tell lies and she accepts she acted in this way. She can only offer her sincere apologies to her husband.'

The case was adjourned until March 15 for probation reports to be drawn up.

John Wilson, chairman of the bench, warned Venables that the offence met the custody threshold. The Evening News recently launched its Don't Suffer in Silence campaign which aims to highlight the problem of domestic violence and the plight of thousands of victims.

Last year more than 9,000 incidents of domestic abuse were reported to Norfolk police, but this represents only the tip of the iceberg.

Do you have a story to tell after escaping an abusive partner? Contact crime correspondent Ben Kendall on 01603 772423 or email ben.kendall@archant.co.uk