A 39-year-old man became jealous and attacked his partner when he met her with another man, Fermanagh Court has been told.

Mindaugas Magelinskas told police he thought his partner was spending too much time with her friends when she should have been at home tidying the house.

Magelinskas, of Lackaboy View, Enniskillen, was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for two years, when he admitted assaulting Iona Aborneviene. He was also bound over to keep the peace for two years in the sum of �500 and ordered to pay her �250 compensation.

District Judge Liam McNally told him: "That means if you as much as lay a finger on this young lady you will start with four months in prison and will have to pay the �500." A prosecutor told the court that on Saturday, September 8, police received a complaint from Magelinskas's former partner that she had met him outside Dolan's Centra at The Diamond in Enniskillen to discuss some bills that needed to be paid. She was with two friends, one of whom was a man. Magelinskas began to swear at her in Lithuanian and threatened to kick her in the face. He then put both hands around her throat and squeezed for about 20 seconds before putting her into a headlock and trying to punch her. However, her male friend intervened. Magelinskas pushed him in the chest. The man had a chest complaint and had undergone heart surgery when he was younger. Magelinskas then made off and was arrested two hours later. He was intoxicated and when interviewed said he could not remember grabbing his partner by the throat but admitted putting her in a headlock as he was fed up with spending more time with friends when she should have been tidying the house.

Defence solicitor, Miss Michelle McVeigh, said Magelinskas had consumed a considerable amount of alcohol the night before and had been drinking again that morning. He had become frustrated at the actions of his partner but he had no intention of assaulting her.

The prosecutor said the injuries caused were very minor but CCTV showed Magelinskas punching his partner and putting her in a headlock.

The District Judge told Magelinskas: "This is a very serious charge. You met this lady and your jealousy was fuelled by the amount of alcohol you had consumed and you allowed that to spill over into violence." Imposing a suspended jail sentence, he said he was taking into account the fact that Magelinskas has a clear criminal record, both here and in Lithuania, with no history of domestic violence and admitted the offence at the first opportunity.