A high-profile Cumbrian health campaigner pleaded with a court not to punish her husband for assaulting her, insisting he is not violent.

Siobhan Gearing wrote a lengthy statement defending her 33-year-old husband Paul, admitting that even though she had cheated on him “many times” he had never laid a finger on her.

The court also heard a suggestion that her husband's behaviour may have been triggered by somebody spiking his drink.

Paul Gearing, of Meadow Road, Mirehouse, Whitehaven, entered a guilty plea on Friday to a single charge of assault by beating.

Pamela Fee, prosecuting, said the assault happened at the couple's home address after the defendant returned home drunk on March 13. After getting into their bed, Mrs Gearing had noted the state he was in and he punched her in her left hip.

“I was in genuine fear that he'd hit me,” she later told officers.

Later, she went into another room, and her husband tried to push open the door. He also shouted and made threats, she said.

At the time after his arrest, Mrs Gearing told police it was the first time he had ever assaulted her but she supported a prosecution. She said she was scared of her husband, and scared he would do the same again.

“I don't want him in the house till he stops drinking and gets help,” she said. She added that he had allowed past problems to take over his life and was using them as an excuse.

But in a later statement, made because she no longer supported the prosecution, Mrs Gearing stated: “Paul is not a violent man. I have absolutely no doubt that he would never do anything like this again.

“I have cheated on him many times in the past and he's never laid a finger on me. If he had it in him to be violent towards me he would have done it to me before now.”

She added that her husband could remember nothing between putting down his drink during his night out and being arrested.

He believed his drink was spiked.

Craig Smith, for Paul Gearing, said the defendant had been to his GP to have his blood tested to see if any trace of drugs could be found to corroborate his drink-spiking theory but there had been a mix up with the sample, which was instead tested for cholesterol, said the lawyer.

Gearing was sorry about what happened.

Mr Smith said Gearing admitted pushing his wife against a wall but he had no recollection of punching her.

Mr Smith continued: “He'd had three pints and two vodka and cokes and then at home he and his wife got into an argument.

“She was shouting and screaming into his face.”

Asked about hitting her left leg, the defendant said he had no memory of that. He pushed his wife to stop her screaming at him, said the solicitor, adding that the defendant had no violence on his record.

The couple intended to continue their relationship, said Mr Smith. The lawyer added: “This is entirely out of character for him.

“He simply doesn't recall the incident. There are flashes of an argument; flashes of restraining her or pushing her against the wall but, in all honesty, he can't recall whether he did or didn't punch her.

“His wife is saying she doesn't want him punished... He strongly suspects there was some spiking of his drink.”

Magistrates imposed a community order which will include 160 hours of unpaid work and a 15 day rehabilitaiton activity. Gearing must also pay costs of £85 and a victim surcharge in an identical amount.

No compensation was ordered because the couple are reconciled.

Siobhan Gearing has been one of the most outspoken campaigners to preserve and protect hospital services in west Cumbria, and a leading light in the Save Our Services West Cumberland Hospital campaign.