A MAN who assaulted his girlfriend in a drunken attack has been spared jail.

David, O'Reilly, 29, admitted assaulting Georgina Gordon and smashing two wooden doors at her home in Clacton, on June 10.

The court heard he grabbed her shoulders and headbutted her while her children watched on.

They ran and got the police and he was subsequently arrested.

O'Reilly and Miss Gordon, who were dating at the time, had spent the day shopping.

Colchester Magistrates' Court heard O'Reilly carried out the assault while drunk on whisky and had no recollection of what had happened.

He had been serving a 24-month supervision order for an assault on the same victim less than a year before.

O'Reilly was living at Elthorne Park, Clacton, at the time of assault but had now moved to Kilburn in London.

District judge David Cooper spared him prison, handing him a 16-week suspended sentence for battery and criminal damage.

He will face jail if he reoffends in the next 18 months.

O' Reilly was also ordered to pay £400 compensation, a further £85 in costs and given a restraining order.