A WOMAN who was verbally abused and then physically attacked by her partner after he accused her of flirting with two men outside a shop has spoken of her disgust at the ‘lenient’ sentence he received.

Amelia Russell, 40, said she feels ‘let down by the system’ after her former fiance Graham Mitchell was given a 12-week curfew for the attack which left her requiring hospital treatment.

Blackburn magistrates heard Mitchell threw frozen garlic bread at Ms Russell before dragging her down the stairs, banging her head on the steps as he did.

She was then thrown out of the front door landing on her knees.

Parveen Akhtar, prosecuting, said after seeing Ms Russell talking to two men outside the shop Mitchell called her “a whore” as they walked home.

After the attack she needed to go to hospital for a check-up because she hit her head on the steps as she was dragged down the stairs, the prosecutor said.

“She says it was like walking on egg shells being around the defendant,” said Miss Akhtar.

In a victim impact statement, Ms Russell said she felt hurt and mentally wounded as a result of Mitchell attack. She said she had been looking forward to marrying him and building a life together.

The statement reads: “I feel depressed and scared for my future wellbeing. I feel it impossible to feel anything other than sad and miserable about my life at the present time. I can see no realistic end to the mental anguish and physical pain I have endured at Mr Mitchell’s hands.”

Mitchell, 44, of Riverside, Clitheroe, pleaded guilty to assault by beating.

David Leach, defending, said his client was a man of previous good character.

“He accepts his guilt on the facts put forward by the prosecution as he did when arrested,” said Mr Leach.

He was made subject to a curfew between 8pm and 6.30am for 12 weeks, ordered to pay £300 compensation, £85 costs and a £85 victim surcharge.

He was made subject to a restraining order for 12 months.

After the hearing, Ms Russell said: “I am disgusted. I feel the whole process is bordering on farcical.

“I have suffered mental anguish because of the assault, continue to do so and am likely to do so for some considerable length of time. I despair on behalf of every person who has, is currently, or will be the subject of domestic abuse and who expect to receive justice through the prosecution system.

“I feels that justice has not been served.”