A BOYFRIEND described as a "bully" beat up his partner and stamped on her — then made her apologise for his violent actions.

Gareth Davis, formerly of Horace Street, Halliwell, was jailed for 10 months for the attack on the woman in her own home.

The 37-year-old defendant was sentenced at Bolton Crown Court yesterday for an offence of assault causing actual bodily harm that took place in July.

Prosecutor David Clarke told the court: "She alleged he is alcohol dependent and can be a bully if he doesn't get a fix of either alcohol or drugs.

"She said she has been frightened to death of him."

Mr Clarke said on July 20 the pair went out for drinks and returned home in the late afternoon.

After being verbally nasty to the victim, Davis went out by himself for more than three hours, coming back drunk and in her words "kicked off" when she asked him where he had been.

"He locked both the front and back doors and the took the keys out," Mr Clarke said.

"In the kitchen he grabbed her by the hair and threw her to the floor.

"He called her a tramp and told her to go upstairs.

"Upstairs, he grabbed her from the floor and threw on the bed and threw her to the floor again.

"He squeezed her face and stamped on her back and left shoulder.

"He made her apologise for making him doing what he was doing.

"She was crying and scared.

"This is clearly a sustained or repeated assault on a vulnerable victim."

The partner suffered marks on her left arm and her back and bruising and grazing to her legs.

Mr Clarke said the victim had told police Davis was a "violent, abusive — I won't repeat what word she used here — who had made my life a misery since we met".

However, the court was told the woman is prepared to stand by Davis when he emerged from prison.

Davis, who has a young son, read a letter of apology to the court in which he expressed "regret and remorse" and said he was "disgusted in myself".

Sentencing judge Richard Gioserano told him: "That you are a violent man is clearly demonstrated by what you did to her and your significant criminal record.

"Making her apologise is a disturbing aspect of your conduct that demonstrates your desire for power and control."