A pensioner ended up in court after a row with his partner over him sending a Christmas card to an ex-partner turned violent.

Peter John Croft, 70, later told police that he had flung a chair at his current partner Carole Reardon because he wanted to “shut her up.”

At Carlisle's magistrates' court, Croft, of Railway Terrace, Baggrow, Wigton, admitted a common assault.

John Moran, prosecuting, described how Miss Reardon, 68, called the police from the couple's home on Boxing Day last year to say she had been assaulted.

She suffered cuts to her nose and lip.

“But she would not then provide a statement to the police,” said the prosecutor.

The defendant did, however, speak to officers, telling them: “I flung a chair at her.

“She wouldn't stop bombarding me with abuse and swearing, so I threw it to shut her up.”

Mr Moran said the defendant and Miss Reardon had been in a relationship for three years, and had lived together for 18 months.

On December 26, they went to a local put for a drink with friends.

Later, at home, an argument over his ex-partner escalated to the point where they got hold of each other and clashed heads, said Mr Moran.

At this point, they had moved apart, but he then picked up a chair and threw it “in her general direction.” Mr Moran said: “He said he didn't aim specifically for her and didn't intend to injure her.

“But he accepted that his actions were reckless and did cause her injuries and that he threw his chair as he lost his temper.

“He said he thought it would calm the situation but accepted that it wasn't the best course of action. The victim doesn't support the prosecution so there's no application for a restraining order.”

Gail Heard, for Croft, said what happened had been a “very isolated incident” which happened after the couple – neither of them regular drinkers - had been to the pub to celebrate Christmas with friends.

“They had more to drink than they would normally consume,” she said.

“That's had an impact.

“When they got back to their house, an argument which had been simmering under the surface regarding him sending his ex-partner a Christmas card came to the surface. His partner was upset.

“Some things were said which should not have been said by her. He retaliated, the argument became heated, and the couple took hold of each other. That's not the way in which the injuries occurred.

“It was six and two threes.

“But he accepted that he flung the chair behind him and it struck his partner. He very much regrets it. It was a reckless act, not intended in any way to harm her.”

The couple are now reconciled.

Accepting that the assault was reckless rather than deliberate, District Judge Gerald Chalk fined Croft £115, with £85 costs, and a £30 victim surcharge.