A PENRITH man has been warned he may face a custodial sentence after he admitted inflicting a “sustained assault” on his ex-partner.

Ioan Adrian Sofroniciu appeared before Carlisle’s magistrates’ court yesterday facing a charge of assaulting Agnieszka Mikitow at her home on May 3.

"She describes a sustained assault upon her," prosecutor John Moran told the court.

"She says she was slapped and punched repeatedly – one with so much force she falls to the ground.

“Others tried to assist and help her. Her 17-year-old daughter witnesses some of this.

"She witnesses the defendant slap or punch her.

"The defendant then goes to the kitchen, gets a knife," said Mr Moran.

Sofroniciu, who appeared in court with a Romanian translator, then made a stabbing motion towards Miss Mikitow, before sticking the knife into a door.

"The defendant has suffered bruising to hands, tenderness and bruising to the head and bruising on the legs," continued Mr Moran.

The court heard that 28-year-old Sofroniciu had a previous conviction for battery against the same victim in April 2018.

During the assault, Sofroniciu, of Bath Terrace in Penrith, also threatened to kill Miss Mikitow.

Sean Harkin, defending, said he agreed with the prosecution that the case must be sent to crown court for sentencing.

He also asked that a pre-sentence report be carried out, saying that a custodial sentence was not inevitable given the defendant's "limited record".

Judge Gerald Chalk told the defendant: "I am not in a position to deal with your case today, my powers of sentencing are inadequate."

Sofroniciu was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing at Carlisle Crown Court on June 1.