A Monk Bretton man attacked his pregnant girlfriend when she was celebrating her 20th birthday, Barnsley Magistrates' Court was told.

Nicholas Kemp, 21, of St Michael's Avenue pushed Jordan Conway in the stomach, bit her on the lip and headbutted her, said Jayne Ormrod, prosecuting.

She said Miss Conway, who was 11 weeks into her pregnancy, was kept in hospital overnight but suffered no lasting injury. Mrs Ormrod said the pregnancy was going normally.

Mrs Ormrod said the couple had been together for about nine months. She said: "Miss Conway describes Mr Kemp has a binge drinker and had tried to control her. Mr Kemp had six cans of lager on the night of the assault but did not think he was drunk.

"He was later shown a picture of Miss Conway's injuries and asked how they were caused."

Jamie Wake, defending, said Kemp had never been in an 'intense relationship' before he met Kiss Conway. She said he was disgusted with himself about what happened.

She said Kemp went with Miss Conway to hospital and was adamant the police should be involved. He waited at the hospital to be arrested.

Miss Wake added: "Mr Kemp is looking forward to the birth of his child. The victim's pregnancy is progressing well and the Probation Service has assessed Mr Kemp as being at low risk of committing crime again."

Kemp, who admitted assault, was given a 16 week jail sentence, suspended for a year. He was banned from contacting Miss Conway for two years and ordered to pay her £100 in compensation.

He was ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work, to pay costs of £85 and an £80 victim surcharge.