A Selby man has pleaded guilty to assaulting his partner, after allegedly spitting in her face at a child’s birthday party.

Paul Matthews, 34, of Merkhill Road, appeared before Selby Magistrates last week accused of assaulting Bernadine Ahmed, with whom he had been in a relationship since 2007.

The court heard that on April 9, Ms Ahmed was supervising a birthday party at her home in Primrose Grove, Selby, when Matthews arrived uninvited at the house and became aggressive towards her, leaving her “frightened and upset”.

Sandra White, prosecuting, said Matthews spat towards her during the “heated conversation”, and the police were called.

Matthews told police he had drunk six cans of lager that day but was not drunk, and admitted other guests at the party could have been frightened by the argument.

Magistrate Ruth Stanley sentenced Matthews to a 12-month community order, ordered him to undertake a alcohol intervention programme, a domestic abuse programme, and gave him a 12-month supervision order.

Ms Stanley also issued Matthews with a three-year restraining order, meaning he cannot contact Ms Ahmed or go within 100 metres of her home, and ordered him to pay costs of £85, and compensation of £125.