A DRUNKEN man assaulted a pregnant woman holding his baby, then hit her partner and two police constables who tried to arrest him on Christmas Eve, a court heard.

But Paul Davey, aged 29, from Sandybrook Close, Cwmbran, avoided a prison sentence yesterday after he pleaded guilty to a charge of assault by beating on Susan Nowell, assault occasioning actual bodily harm on Peter Barratt, and assault with intent to prevent his lawful apprehension when PCs Andrew Williams and Martin Baker came to arrest him.

He appeared at Newport crown court for sentence.

The court heard Davey had an argument with his partner, Laura Beech, after he had been drinking heavily.

Prosecutor John Ryan said Ms Nowell - Davey's neighbour - intervened. She was holding his baby as he attacked her, causing a bruise over her left eye.

When Ms Nowell went to get her partner, Mr Barratt, Davey assaulted him. He suffered a cut beneath his eye, which needed three stitches.

Robert Buckland, mitigating, said Davey had started drinking heavily on Christmas Eve after the death of his mother from cancer the previous day.

He said Davey, a courier, was "entirely the author of his own misfortune", adding he felt "shame and embarrassment" at his actions.

Judge Mark Furness told Davey: "You have come within a whisker of losing your liberty." Davey was sentenced to a 240-hour community punishment order, ordered to pay £250 each in compensation to Ms Nowell and Mr Barratt and to pay costs of £160.