A 38-year-man has admitted assaulting his partner causing her actual bodily harm.

Geraint Richard Darren Hughes, formerly of North Shore Road, Ramsey, also pleaded guilty to a property damage offence after damaging the woman’s car.

However, Hughes is disputing the prosecution account of the incident and a special hearing will be necessary to settle the disagreement.

A pre-hearing review will be held on December 22.

Prosecuting advocate Roger Kane told magistrates that a complaint had been received from Hughes’ then-partner on October 31.

The couple were said to have been in a relationship since September 2019 but had been friends for eight years.

Mr Kane said Hughes and the woman had been out in the south of the island.

He was drinking but the woman did not as she was driving.

They got into an argument and arrived back home in Ramsey at 2am.

It was said that the woman refused to go into the house so Hughes took her car keys.

She then stood in the doorway blocking him from going in and he was said to have grabbed her collar and thrown her to the ground.

It is then alleged that he kicked her three or four times in the head, which he disputes.

He was then said to have thrown her on her car and punched the car window breaking it.

It is then alleged that he threw her on the ground and kicked her again in the head saying: ’I know you’re not unconscious.’

The woman said that he then put his foot on her neck.

After the incident ended she slept on the sofa in the house and went to accident and emergency in the morning, though it was said that her injuries were not serious.

When interviewed by police Hughes handed in a prepared statement saying that the woman had attacked him and he had tried to keep her at arm’s length.

He denied kicking her, throwing to the ground, damaging the car window, or standing on her neck.

A basis of plea was entered by Hughes in which he accepted pushing her against a wall and pulling her hair but this was not accepted by the prosecution.

Mr Kane said that, if the special hearing - a Newton Hearing - found in favour of the prosecution’s facts, the case should go to the Court of General Gaol Delivery for sentencing.

Magistrates ruled that the Newton Hearing will be held in summary court and sentencing will take place there if it is based on Hughes’ account of the incident, but sentencing will be in the higher court if it is based on the prosecution account.

Defence advocate Jane Gray said that no bail application could be made as her client currently had no address to go to, so he is remanded in custody.