A DRUNKEN man jumped out of an alleyway at his former partner and robbed her of her bank card and mobile phone.

Bolton Crown Court heard how Hungarian-born Lazslo Csonka and his partner moved to the UK and set up home in Bolton.

But in June last year the 10-year relationship ended.

James Preece, prosecuting, told how the ex-partner remained living at their home with their two children and other family members.

On January 14 the woman left the house to go to a shop when Csonka jumped out of an alleyway at her.

“He was drunk and had a bottle of whisky in his hand,” said Mr Preece.

“He took her bank card and phone out of her hand by force, he slapped her cheek and pulled her hair.”

The woman, who was left with bruises, ran back to the house where her mother locked the door behind her.

But Csonka gave chase and tried to break the window with his fist.

“He was shouting abuse and the complainant dialled 999,” said Mr Preece.

Police arrived, found 29-year-old Csonka in a street nearby and arrested him. He had the stolen bank card and phone, which had a damaged screen, on him as well as the whisky and some cannabis.

When interviewed, Csonka denied robbing his former partner, claiming he had been given the items voluntarily and was on good terms with her.

In a victim statement the woman initially claimed she feared Csonka was capable of killing her, but in a later statement she said she was not afraid and put his behaviour down to his mental health issues.

“I don’t want him to end up in prison as he was not himself when he committed these things,” she wrote.

Richard Sharpe, defending, stressed that Csonka, of Coniston Street, Bolton, has been remanded in prison since the incident and so has already served the equivalent of a 16-month jail term.

Recorder Geoffrey Lowe sentenced Csonka to 12 months in prison and told him: “Your ex-partner did not deserve to be treated in this way.”

Because of the time already served he was due to be released, but the court heard that Csonka is also currently remanded in custody awaiting the outcome of an application to extradite him to Hungary for other offences.