A BLAKEDOWN man held a knife towards the stomach of his five-month pregnant girlfriend and then pushed cushions into her face – before attacking a cyclist who came to her aid when she ran into the street, a court was told.

Brett Leigh, 28, pushed girlfriend Alisha Locke into a chair and put his hand around her throat as they argued in their kitchen over an outstanding fuel bill, it was alleged.

Miss Locke, wearing only socks on her feet, ran into the road, where she asked cyclist Joshua Boxall to help her, said Scott Coughtrie, prosecuting.

But Leigh punched Mr Boxall on the side of the head, although the victim’s helmet protected him from injury.

Appearing at Worcester Crown Court on Friday, August 26, Leigh, of Sculthorpe Road, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm to Miss Locke and assaulting Mr Boxall by beating on March 28.

But he denied that he had held a knife or that he had pushed Miss Locke or ripped her t-shirt.

Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins QC said: "Quite clearly this was a sustained and nasty assault on Miss Locke, who was five months pregnant.

"Mr Boxall attempted to intervene and was punched himself. This was someone trying to be a peace-maker."

He added that Miss Locke, who had not wanted Leigh prosecuted, was of a "generous and forgiving nature" and he hoped that contact between them could be resumed.

Mr Coughtrie said Miss Locke had told Leigh not to shout because he would wake their baby but he picked up a knife, saying he was going to kill himself.

Leigh then placed the knife close to her throat before pointing it at her stomach and ripping her t-shirt, he added.

Miss Locke told police his eyes had been "popping out".

She went into the lounge but he then started punching cushions and put the cushions against her face.

She could not breathe and went into a panic attack before running into the street, added Mr Coughtrie.

In a statement to police Leigh, denied holding the knife and said he pushed, rather than punched, the cyclist.

Leigh was given a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years and ordered to do 80 hours unpaid work in the community and 20 days of rehabilitation activity.