A OLDBURY man who left his partner battered and bruised when he rained punches on her face has been

put behind bars for nine months.

At Wolverhampton Crown Court, Judge Peter Barrie told "unfaithful" John Fumagali: "This was an outburst of serious violence".

The court heard Fumagali left his victim convinced she was going to die, she told police after the brutal attack: "This was the thought that was running through my head as he hit me. I have had to lie to people about what happened."

The relationship between Fumagali and the victim had been shattered by his infidelity and there was violence just

weeks after they began living together.

John Evans, prosecuting, told the court Fumagali, aged 32, claimed he had been out watching Aston Villa and when he did not return on time his girlfriend rang to find out where he was and what he was doing.

The defendant told her he would return in a couple of minutes but it was half an hour before he arrived at her Warley

flat and he was drunk.

She then discovered he had been logging into adult internet sites and as she tried to sit him up he lashed out with a

punch to her right cheek before grabbing her hair and hitting her several more times.

Paul Dhami, defending Fumagali, of Morris Road, maintained he had little recollection of the attack and he was

full of remorse for his actions.

Mr Dhami added: "It was so out of character and as a result of what happened he has reduced his alcohol intake. He bitterly regrets what he did and it has taken by surprise everyone who knows him."

Fumagali admitted assault and the judge ruled only immediate custody was appropriate for the attack.