A 44-YEAR-OLD man attacked his partner when they returned home from a night out.

Blackburn magistrates heard the victim's 18-year-old daughter had been babysitting and she took the baby to her bedroom when the trouble started.

But Michael Haworth said he wasn't leaving without the baby and punched his partner repeatedly when she stopped him going upstairs.

Haworth, 44, of Whalley Old Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assaulting Lindsay Bennett and damaging a door belonging to her.

He was made subject to community supervision for 18 months, ordered to do 40 hours unpaid work and pay £100 compensation for the broken window, £75 compensation to the daughter and £60 victim surcharge. He was also made subject to a restraining order for six months.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said after the baby had been taken unpstairs Miss Bennett went to the kitchen and asked Haworth to calm down.

"His response was to punch her in the face and then throw the vacuum cleaner at her," said Miss Allan. "When he said he was going noweher without the baby she decided there was no way she would let him take the child, the state he was in."

When Miss Bennett eventually managed to get Haworth out of the back door he hit it, causing it to smash, and a piece of glass hit Miss Bennett in the face."

Haworth told the court he regretted everything that had happened.

"It was the stress of work too many hours," he said. "I should have just walked away."