A CHEATING dad from Worcester returned home drunk and attacked his now ex-partner after the breakdown of their ‘toxic relationship’, breaking her watch.

Miles Hamilton admitted assault by beating against former partner, Ophellia Blakeway, when he appeared before magistrates in Worcester on Thursday. The 29-year-old IT worker of Ronkswood Hill, Worcester carried out the assault on July 19 this year, his partner calling 999.

Ralph Robyns-Landricombe, prosecuting, said an officer arrived to find Miss Blakeway in ‘clear distress’ and crying. He added: “The defendant believed that the victim was on the phone to the police and attempted to take the phone off her by pinning her wrist to the sofa and pulling off her watch which left reddening.”

Hamilton left to go to stay with his parents but was arrested the following day. In interview Hamilton said he recognised his voice on the 999 recording but denied pinning her by the wrist. Previous convictions on Hamilton’s record included battery from 2010 and another from 2015. £100 in compensation was applied for because of damage to the Apple watch. Mark Sheward, defending, said: “This was a relationship that should have been brought to an end several years ago. The reason they stayed together was because of the children.”

The Worcester solicitor said both had ‘trust issues’. “She had been unfaithful to him. Subsequently he was unfaithful to her. It was a relationship that was doomed to failure,” he said.

Hamilton drank six or seven points at the barbecue, describing himself as ‘five out of 10 on a drunkenness scale’. Mr Sheward said the pair had been getting on better since although there would be no reconciliation. “In fact, she is now seeing someone else. He knows the relationship is at an end and he’s happy for her. He wants to focus on the children rather than the breakdown of a toxic relationship,” said Mr Sheward.

Magistrates handed Hamilton an 18 month community order with 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days. They did not award compensation, arguing that this would only aggravate matters. They fined Hamilton £126 and ordered him to pay £135 costs and a £95 victim surcharge.