A “mouthy and abusive” man with a history of violence assaulted a woman in front of a young child, a court heard.
Gary Finch got “right up in the face” of the woman after a row over “two cans of beer”.
He shoved her twice, causing the child to start crying and run away.
And when they tried to call the police, he snatched the phone and threw it away, smashing it.
Finch, aged 23, of Park Drive, Kings Heath, Northampton admitted one charge of assault by beating, but was spared jail.
Northampton Magistrates’ Court heard Finch initially pleaded not guilty to the charge and a trial date was set, but he later changed his plea to guilty.
Unemployed Finch has a previous conviction for battery against a woman, and his counsel accepted the offence passed the custody threshold.
But District Judge Tim Daber took a more lenient approach to Finch’s punishment.
He was sentenced to a two-year community order and will be made to complete both a violence and alcohol treatment programme.