A JEALOUS boyfriend battered his girlfriend in front of their son after wrongly assuming she was having an affair.
Docker Daniel Roberts sat on Hannah Sherwood's chest and punched her between ten and 20 times in the face, fracturing her eye socket.
He also pushed a cushion down on her face and put his hands around her neck, only stopping when he saw his ten-year-old son crying as he watched the attack.
Miss Sherwood said: "There was no let-up with the punches, there was a constant flurry of strikes hitting my face."
Roberts, 33, has now been jailed for four years for causing grievous bodily harm to Miss Sherwood at their home in Hornsea.
He attacked her after hearing her tell a friend on the phone: "I can't wait until the kids are back at school, so we can start having some fun again."
Roberts had sneaked into the family's home in Bank Terrace after earlier leaving during an argument.
While he was out, he called Miss Sherwood 33 times and sent 15 text messages. One of the messages read: "If you don't answer your phone, you won't live to see tomorrow."
After entering through the basement, he heard Miss Sherwood, 30, on the phone to her friend Sarah Lancaster. He burst into the room, pushed her on to the couch and sat on her chest, while raining blows on to her face and head.
Prosecuting at Hull Crown Court, Jharna Jobes said: "She said he put a cushion over her face and she could feel pressure on her face. She struggled and tried to get through his legs and he put pressure on her neck.
"She started to scream and that's when he noticed their ten-year-old son standing there watching and stopped."
Roberts denied putting the cushion over her face, which was not accepted by the prosecution.
The court heard the couple's 13-year relationship had deteriorated after moving to Hornsea, when Miss Sherwood started to make new friends.
Mrs Jobes said Roberts had a "jealous streak" which would often lead to arguments.
"She had started to meet new people and socialise and the defendant didn't like this," she said.
"He would often accuse her of cheating, when this wasn't the case."
In May this year, Roberts punched a man who spoke to Miss Sherwood in the street. He accused the pair of having an affair.
His barrister Stephen Robinson said: "He can't believe what he has done and accepts his behaviour was disgusting. It was a sudden loss of temper. He saw red and was in a jealous rage."
Roberts called police immediately after the attack, but then left the house. He pleaded guilty to causing Miss Sherwood grevious bodily harm on August 26.
The couple had been planning a barbecue, but Roberts left the house after arguing over who would cut some buns. After drinking alcohol on the old railway lines, he returned to the house and attacked her.
The court heard Humberside Police's domestic violence unit had been called to the house on two occasions because of arguments between the couple, who have four children.
Recorder Gurdial Singh said: "This was a disgraceful and cowardly assault. You are a 6ft 2ins docker and she was a vulnerable woman, who is merely 5ft.
"She tried to defend herself, but was helpless. What makes this worse was your ten-year-old son was present. He was crying and was visibly upset. You tried to assuage him, but you can only begin to imagine what he must have thought having witnessed that.
"As you said, you 'saw red' and used your fists. This was an awful episode of domestic violence."
Roberts was also given a two-year restraining order banning him from contacting Miss Sherwood or going within 100m of her home.
