Girlfriend brutally beaten after lemonade fight turns nasty

Christopher Gosling snapped after he and his girlfriend started pouring fizzy drinks over each others heads during an argument at her home.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the 49-year-old left his victim injured and bruised by punches and kicks when the violence flared in March.

Judge Tim Gittins told him: "You were trading, at the outset, lemonade over each other's heads.

"It then descended into significant violence, with her striking you with a cup and you overreacting.

"You began by striking her with a cup then punched her.

"When she was on the ground you kicked her a number of times.

"It was a sustained assault that led to a number of injuries."

The court heard the victim had cuts and bruises to her face and upper body.

Gosling, of Morland Road, South Shields, admitted assault.

He also pleaded guilty to a common assault after he put his hands around the same woman's throat during a street confrontation a month later.

Prosecutor Kevin Wardlaw told the court the woman was left "extremely scared" by what happened.

The court heard he has now spent over seven months behind bars.

Judge Gittins sentenced him to a community order with programme requirements and a two month, night time curfew.

Gosling must stay away from his victim indefinitely.

The court heard Gosling has previous convictions but has been out of trouble for more than ten years.

He had started a relationship after the breakdown of his previous, long term relationship, which left him depressed.

The court heard Gosling regrets what he did and has no intention of trying to reignite the relationship, which involved heavy drinking.