A man pulled his girlfriend's hair and smashed the window of her friend's car when she tried to get away, a court heard.

A man pulled his girlfriend's hair and smashed the window of her friend's car when she tried to get away, a court heard.

Adam Branson, 25, assaulted his partner Laura Rainer in a fit of jealousy after a night out.

Philip Charnley, prosecuting, said the couple had been together for two and a half years, and that they had a 10-month-old baby.

He said Branson became jealous while Miss Rainer was on a night out with her friend Vanessa Farrow, who was also Branson's brother's girlfriend, and began calling her repeatedly.

'When she came home that escalated into an argument,' said Mr Charnley. 'He pulled Miss Rainer's hair and pushed her to the ground.

'After the violence towards her he smashed the front window of Miss Farrow's car, a silver Vauxhall Astra convertible that she had borrowed from her father.'

He added that when Branson was interviewed by police he was sorrowful and said the fact that he had been violent to his partner had 'thrown him'.

Simon Nicholls, mitigating, said that the incident was a catalyst for Branson to seek help for his jealousy issues.

'He is mortified at what happened,' he said. 'Unusually, I received a character reference for him from Ms Rainer, supporting him and setting out that this is a relationship that will be continuing after this event.

'When she was leaving he brought his leg up to try and prevent the car from moving and smashed the window.'

Branson, of William White Place, Norwich, pleaded guilty to assault and criminal damage at Norwich magistrate's court yesterday.

He was given a conditional discharge for two years.