A CREWE man who carried out a "sustained and violent attack" on his girlfriend and threatened to headbutt a police officer has been released after serving part of his sentence on remand.

Christopher Arrowsmith was told by magistrates he needed to seek help for his violent tendencies although they took into account a brain injury he suffered in a road accident had made his life difficult.

Arrowsmith, 28, of West Street, Crewe appeared before South Cheshire Magistrates' Court where he admitted assaulting Louise Harradine by beating on October 5 this year.

He also pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker, PC Rod Bell, in the exercise of his duty on the same date.

Prosecutor Hannah Scott said that Arrowsmith snatched Ms Harradine's phone after the pair were embroiled in an argument.

He walked back to his home and discarded her phone on the floor, but when she arrived to retrieve it he grabbed her by the throat and punched her repeatedly.

The prosecutor added: "He grabbed her coat to stop her from leaving and her coat and top came off as she pulled the other way.

"When PC Rod Bell and two other officers attended at the scene to arrest the defendant he threatened to headbutt PC Bell."

Arrowsmith was due to stand trial on the charge of assaulting the officer after denying the offence initially. But a basis of plea was accepted that there had been no direct contact with the officer, who was not injured.

But on attacking his partner, Ms Scott said: "This was a repeated and sustained assault on the victim."

In mitigation, Peter Casson, said Arrowsmith should be given credit for his two guilty pleas.

"A number of officers turned up to arrest him and it could have been handled differently," said the solicitor. "He was involved in a car crash six years ago and it has affected him, he has a brain injury.

"He does get frustrated and on the day he believed one of the neighbours was laughing at him which was the catalyst for what took place. He took the phone and he bitterly regrets his actions.

"Fortunately he didn't carry out his threat against the officer."

Magistrates' Chairman C. Anderton told Arrowsmith: "We have heard how your injury affected you mentally, but you have been convicted of violent offences before.

"There is an onus on you to seek help for your mental problems. If you come back to court for similar offences you will be sent to prison for a longer period."

Magistrates imposed an eight-week prison sentence, but as Arrowsmith had spent four weeks on remand the court was told he was likely to be released straight away.

He was also ordered to pay costs of £150 and a victim surcharge of £128.