Matthew SparkesA Norwich man brutally beat his girlfriend on the same night that he announced he had been unfaithful and was leaving her, a court heard.Matthew Sparkes

A Norwich man brutally beat his girlfriend on the same night that he announced he had been unfaithful and was leaving her, a court heard.

Steven Attwood, 21, argued with the woman at his home on Bussey Road, Mile Cross, and pushed her to the floor before punching her in the head and kicking her in the abdomen.

Norwich Magistrates' Court heard yesterday how the attack happened on January 31 after the 20-year-old victim and her sister had gone out for the evening in Norwich.

His victim arrived at Attwood's flat at around 4.30am but could not remember what she had done between leaving Prince of Wales Road and arriving there.

'He was angry with me because I'd gone out,' she said, adding that he pushed her to the floor.

'He began punching me in the face and head. I crawled into a sort of ball and covered my face and head,' she said.

The court heard how he then ripped up a passport and burned a driver's licence that belonged to her sister.

His victim was left with bruises and grazes on her face, lip, abdomen and arms and left to seek safety at a friend's home nearby.

She also claimed that he stole a �500 phone belonging to her sister.

Richard Paterson, prosecuting, said the injuries sustained were 'wholly inconsistent' with the account given by Attwood to police.

In his defence, Attwood claimed his ex-partner had arrived at his house despite him telling her that she was not welcome.

He said he told her that he had begun seeing his ex-girlfriend again and was ending their relationship.

Attwood said she had become angry, thrown cutlery and inflicted some of the injuries on herself.

Attwood pleaded not guilty to a charge of assault, one charge of theft and one charge of criminal damage.

Stephen Slack, chair of the magistrates' bench, said that the evidence given had been 'confusing and conflicting' but found Attwood guilty of assault and criminal damage, but not guilty of the theft of the phone.

The case was adjourned until June 15 in order for a pre-sentence report to be prepared. Attwood has been released on bail under conditions.