A man who admitted assaulting his partner and leaving her with 17 injuries – including a gaping wound to her back – was sentenced to six months imprisonment when his case came before Omagh Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

Michael Duddy of Mulvin Road, Victoria Bridge, admitted the assault which occurred at the Mellon Country Inn on December 9 last.

The court heard that the injured party told police that Duddy grabbed her by the throat saying, "I'll kill you, I'll f**king kill you." He banged her head of the wall and punched her several times in the face. His partner tried to fight back after being struck several times but the assault only stopped when two members of staff at the Melon Country Inn heard her calls for help and intervened.

Following the incident, the injured party was admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital to repair ligament damage to her hand. The court heard that other injuries she suffered included a closed laceration and a gaping wound to her back.

Michael Fahy, solicitor for the defence, said that the accused, a 28-year-old man has been subject to rigorous bail conditions.

He said that the defendant had been employed in a laboratory but, following the adverse attention attracted by the case, he had lost his job.

Mr Fahy said that the injured party had subsequently made a second statement to police, after he had made a number of representations to her, and that following that statement, charges of making threats to kill and of unlawful imprisonment were withdrawn by the Public Prosecution Service.

He said that the injured party and the defendant are keen to reconcile.

A pre-sentence report had been ordered from Probation Services following an earlier hearing. However, Mr Fahy took issue with a number of aspects of that report when it was presented in court. He said that whereas the author of the report tends to suggest that the defendant tried to minimise his involvement in the matter, that that was contrary to the facts. He said that the defendant is "absolutely ashamed of his behaviour."

"No doubt this was a very frightening incident and the defendant can be thankful that no more serious injuries had been disclosed." But he said he was at a loss to understand how the defendant could be classed as being at a high risk of re-offending . He said that the defendant had a completely clear previous record and had admitted his guilt at the earliest opportunity.

RM Greg McCourt said that the Probation Officer had suggested that what the report was saying was that the defendant could not admit to abuse of his partner because he couldn't remember the incident.

Mr Fahy said that his client would have no difficulty in accepting that he could benefit from the Probation Service course on domestic violence. "He has asked me to convey his horror as to his behaviour to the court", said Mr Fahy.

He added, "His behaviour was nothing short of atrocious."

RM Greg McCourt commented, "This was a savage assault on your partner. . . If you take drink and can't control your self there's only one sentence immediate imprisonment." He handed down a sentence of six months imprisonment, and rejected Mr Fahy's appeals for the sentence to be suspended, even for the maximum period of three years.

Mr McCourt responded, "I view this as a serious assault on a woman. No, the sentence stands."

He did however, grant the defendant leave to appeal the sentence and released him on his own bail of £500.