A MAN has escaped jail after being convicted of assaulting his partner of 20 years and her daughter in Newport.

Dennis Barry Faulkner, 66, was found guilty on two counts of causing actual bodily harm to his partner.

He was also found guilty of causing criminal damage and common assault after an altercation with his partner's daughter while they were all living together.

Prosecuting, Timothy Compton, told the Isle of Wight Crown Court Faulkner's 'drunkenness' was often a contributing factor to his violent behaviour.

For background, Mr Compton alleged the defendant had attacked his partner on holiday in Italy in 2016, he said: "He put his hands around her neck and squeezed."

The prosecutor added this was Faulkner's preferred method of controlling his victims and he would often move them around when holding their necks.

Mr Compton said an argument over a piece of cooked chicken on February 25, 2018 saw Faulkner smash his adult step-daughter's phone in a drunken rage as she tried to call the police after he put her in a head lock.

His partner came to her daughter's aid, before he swung her by the hair into a wall, causing a head injury that filled with blood.

Both victims escaped to a neighbour's address.

On another occasion, he bent his partner's wrist backwards after she stood up to him and told him not to be rude about her children.

He knew it would cause her serious pain as she suffered from arthritis, the court heard.

For Faulkner, now of Southend-on-Sea, Russell Pyne said the relationship had been 'turbulent' and claimed there had been questionable behaviour from both parties involved.

"Most of the time they had gotten on reasonably well," added Mr Pyne.

Recorder Anna Midgley sentenced Faulkner to 21 months in prison, suspended for two years.

He was also given a five year restraining order, ordered to attend a building better relationships programme and 30 rehabilitation days with the Probation Service.