A violent Suffolk man who punched his partner in the mouth because he was angry that his dinner wasn’t ready when he got home from work has been jailed for nine months.

Christopher Woods, 32, returned home late on August 7 and an argument started between him and his partner Lauren Baldwin, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Miss Baldwin put the children to bed and when she came back downstairs Woods was angry with her for not having his dinner ready, said Daniel Taylor, prosecuting.

Miss Baldwin was standing next to the oven when Woods pushed her and then punched her causing a cut to her lip.

“It was so hard it caused her neck to fly back and blood spatter landed on his face,” said Mr Taylor.

Woods had then pushed her onto the floor and punched her four times in the stomach.

The incident was heard by the couple’s neighbours in Jocelyn Close, Bury St Edmunds who called the police after hearing Miss Baldwin shouting: “Get off me” and “leave me alone,” said Mr Taylor.

When police arrived and arrested Woods he said: “It’s fine you can arrest me. Just put me in the car. We had a fight and I hit her.”

He later told officers that Miss Baldwin had “triggered his buttons” and that all he had wanted was something to eat and drink.

“I’m not proud of what I’ve done,” he added.

Woods admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and breach of a suspended prison sentence.

The court heard that the 12 week sentence suspended for 12 months was imposed last year after Woods put his hands round a neighbour’s throat during an argument.

He had also been given a conditional discharge in 2015 for an assault on Miss Baldwin.

Steven Dyble for Woods said his client had been tired and bad tempered after a long working day and accepted losing his temper and assaulting Miss Baldwin during a row.

He said that Woods and Miss Baldwin both agreed their relationship was now over.

Mr Dyble said Woods had been in custody for two months which was the equivalent of a four month prison sentence.