A heroin addict admitted punching his girlfriend in her face, fracturing her eye socket, as well as driving under the influence of drugs.

Justin Rouse, 23, of Carter Close, appeared before Swindon magistrates yesterday charged with actual bodily harm, driving under the influence of drugs and stealing £20.

The court heard Rouse was out with his girlfriend the mother of his child Caroline Crawford on September 28, 2003 at the Brunel Rooms nightclub.

She had come back from the toilet and he started arguing with her about where she had been. He walked away and when she started to follow he punched her in the face.

Paul Ricketts, prosecuting, said: "An ambulance was called and the punch had swollen her face and fractured her eye socket."

On November 4 last year Rouse was stopped by police driving without a licence or insurance.

"He appeared agitated and could not keep still," Mr Ricketts added.

"A drug test proved negative for alcohol so he was taken to the police station for a urine test which revealed he was under the influence of heroin."

Apart from breaching several bail conditions for not keeping probation appointments, the court also heard Rouse had stolen £20 of gift vouchers from his girlfriend on February 5 this year. Rouse pleaded guilty to all the offences. Rob Ross, defending, said Rouse and Mrs Crawford were still together.

Mr Ross said: "In November he slipped back into heroin, something he had been free of for two years. After a few weeks in prison he is clean again and the couple want to get on with their lives."

Magistrates adjourned until April 5 so a pre-sentence report could see if Rouse would benefit from a domestic violence rehabilitation programme.

He was released on conditional bail to live at his mother's house in Crawford Close, adhere to a curfew and report to police twice a week.

Jamie Hill