A man who pulled his girlfriend around by her hair acted ‘bizarrely’ out of character, a court has heard.

Daniel Sledden, 48, of Tinker Brook Close, Oswaldtwistle, had been in a ‘volatile’ relationship with the victim for five years and she had decided to leave him, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Jeremy Lasker said the victim had packed her bags to leave the following day when Sledden went out drinking one evening last May. When he returned home at 3am, he woke the victim and pulled her out of bed by her hair, Mr Lasker said.

Sledden pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Robert Elias, defending, said Sledden is a ‘neat, introverted, shy person’ who had been in an ‘incompatible’ relationship with the victim and had been ‘at his wits’ end’.

Mr Elias said Sledden does not usually drink and was very embarrassed about the incident.

Judge Beverley Lunt handed Sledden a 12-month community order with 12 months' supervision but warned him to consider his behaviour.

She said: “It would appear you have acted bizarrely out of character, but there is no excuse for dealing with any lady this way. The fact you can snap and behave like this is a concern.”