A CLEATOR Moor man asked his girlfriend to dance with him moments after attacking her and biting her hand, a court heard.

After hearing about 29-year-old Jordan Dobson's drink-fuelled violence, a judge jailed him.

Carlisle Crown Court heard that the defendant, formerly of Greenthwaite, Cleator Moor, admitted an assault causing actual bodily harm and breaching - for the fourth time - a restraining order that banned him from his victim's home street in Whitehaven.

Verity Quaite, prosecuting, said the restraining order was imposed in January of 2019 following Dobson's being convicted of battery and criminal damage.

Though the order was varied to allow continued contact with the victim, it still banned him from Meadow Road, Whitehaven, where she lives because their relationship had continued.

On December 2 last year, said the prosecutor, the woman visited a friend's house for drinks.

"The defendant called and texted her while she was there, asking if he could attend," said Miss Quaite.

"She refused to let him do so.

"While she was walking home she bumped into the defendant walking his dog. He shouted about her about how long she'd been out and him not being allowed to attend."

At the woman's home, as the argument continued, he punched her in the face, making her fall.

As he continued punching her she tried to push him away - and he bit her thumb.

After this, the defendant put on music and asked the woman to dance, said Miss Quaite.

The woman declined to give a victim statement, though she does want the five-year restraining order to remain.

Judith McCullough, for Dobson, said the defendant was sorry, despite remembering nothing of the assault.

"He accepts alcohol misuse is at the centre of his offending," said the barrister.

"He's had a traumatic and difficult background, including serious attempts at self-harm.

"When in drink, he has difficulty controlling his emotions and that has underpinned the offences on his record. It's plain he must address his alcohol misuse."

While in jail, he had used a process of "calm reflection" to face his demons, said Miss McCullough.

Recorder Neville Biddle said the eight month jail term he was imposing was a "lenient sentence."

He added: "I only hope you will accept that this court has been lenient with you and you will respond to that by making sure you control your drinking. Abstinence is the only way because there is a danger that if you get drunk again you can injure someone else and on the next occasion it could be serious."