A former mental health worker who repeatedly punched a woman has been sentenced for four counts of common assault.

Marc Elliott, 31 from Midland Road, Stonehouse, pleaded guilty to four charges of assault at Gloucester Crown Court on Wednesday, July 11.

The offences all took place against the same woman between March 2 and April 16.

Prosecutor Grace Flynn showed images of the victim’s injuries to Judge Michael Cullum.

On one occasion Elliott 'repeatedly punched' the woman, leaving her with swelling.

The judge remarked that on the basis of that level of bruising to the woman's breast, Elliott was 'very lucky' not to have been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Elliott has a previous conviction for assault by beating against a different woman.

As the maximum sentence available for common assault is six months imprisonment, Elliott would have served less than one more week in jail taking in to account time already spent in custody.

Sentencing Elliott instead to an eighteen-month community order with a requirement to attend a programme to address domestic violence, the judge said: “You have a conviction for beating a previous partner.

“You have the chance to change the label from a man that beats women to a hard-working individual and a productive member of society.”