A FORMER paratrooper who beat up his girlfriend has been jailed for ten months by a judge at Swindon Crown Court.

David Blewett, who was invalided out of the regiment, attacked Sandra Brundell after she refused to let him stay the night on his birthday.

The court was also told that the 29-year-old had been convicted of another charge of actual bodily harm after a previous incident involving Miss Brundell in April 1998.

Marcus Davey, prosecuting, told the hearing the victim and her 11-year-old son had returned to Malmesbury home on January 4 Blewett's birthday after spending some time away in Cornwall.

He said Miss Brundell met up with Blewett and the couple went to the pub with friends before returning home, where she told him he could not stay the night.

Mr Davey said Blewett first attacked her in the bedroom, slapping and punching her before relenting and taking her to the bathroom to clean up.

But there he again got upset and accused her of having a fling with her former boyfriend in Cornwall and head butted and punched her.

"He then took her downstairs and it appeared he was about to leave as he began to look for his fleece coat but he again attacked her," he said.

Miss Brundell managed to fight him off before running outside to get help from neighbours. He pursued her and she managed to get back inside, only for him to break down the door.

Mr Davey said she was taken to hospital by ambulance where doctors found she had multiple bruising and cuts to her face and other areas.

Claire Marlow, defending said Blewett, of White Lion Park, Malmesbury, had not received enough psychiatric and psychologoical help after the previous conviction for domestic violence.

She said he had been placed on probation with the condition he complete an anger management course, which he did successfully. However there was insufficient follow up help to tackle the underlying problem.

Since the latest incident he has split up with the victim and is now in another relationship with another woman, and there is no sign of any trouble, the coiurt heard.

She said that Blewett, who pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, accepted that violence against a woman was abhorrent.

Because of his problems she said that he presented a risk of self-harm in prison and even suicide.

Jailing him Judge Paul Barclay said "This is the second offence you have committed against her, in April 1998 you got probation for a similar offence.

"You had the opportunity of an anger management course which you completed successfully but unfortunately further psychiatric assistance was not given to you."