A THUG punched his partner in the face and kicked her after losing his temper when friends asked her to go to Manchester with them.

Bolton Crown Court heard how the woman, who had been with Thomas Rouse for four years, had been drinking with him at an 18th birthday party in Heywood on February 20 last year.

Robert Smith, prosecuting, said that when the woman's friends asked her to go with them she refused and took a taxi with Rouse to his father's house in Bolton instead.

But, back at the house, Rouse became angry about the invitation.

"The argument grew more and more heated until he resorted to violence," said Mr Smith.

Rouse punched the woman in the eye and kicked her, forcing her to curl up in a ball to protect herself.

After 15 minutes he calmed down and they both fell asleep, but Mr Smith said Rouse was still in a bad mood the next day.

Then, just days later, on March 5 the pair went to McDonald's in Bury for a meal when some boys whistled at the woman.

"This immediately angered the defendant — not with the boys, but her," said Mr Smith, who added that Rouse then tipped the tray of food over his partner.

"It caused a scene in the restaurant which embarrassed her," he added.

Rouse, who is coming to the end of a 14-month sentence in a young offenders' institution for dealing crack cocaine, pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm and assault.

Kevin Liston, defending, said Rouse, of no fixed address, had made the best of his time in custody.

Judge Richard Gioserano said Rouse is, "at an age where the decision he makes now about the way forward are likely to determine the rest of his life.

"I am going to give him the opportunity to prove he is learning something from the last 14 months in custody and put that into practice on his release."

Rouse was sentenced to an intensive community order for 12 months. It includes undertaking 50 days of rehabilitation activities and a three-month curfew ranging between 7pm to 7am and 9pm to 7am.

A restraining order was also made banning Rouse from contacting his victim for five years.