A TOWN councillor who ‘flipped out’ and attacked his partner has been given a community sentence.

Edward Timothy Colfox pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to assaulting his girlfriend Claire Winterbottom, occasioning her actual bodily harm.

The court heard Colfox grabbed Miss Winterbottom and spat at her.

She needed surgery after suffering a fractured wrist and thumb.

Colfox was given a community order for 24 months with a supervision requirement when he appeared for sentencing at Weym-outh Magistrates Court yesterday.

He was also ordered to attend a course which helps perpetrators of domestic abuse to change their behaviour, and ordered to pay £85 costs.

Colfox, aged 42, of North End Farm, Venn Lane, Chideock, sits on Bridport Town Council and works as a supply teacher as well as being part of a team which runs paragliding tours in the Indian Himalayas.

Prosecutor Julian Lawrence said Colfox and Miss Winterbottom, who have been together three years, were returning home from a trip to Sussex when Colfox ‘lost his temper’ in response to a comment made by his partner.

He abandoned her in the car outside his house, returning a short time later to move the car to allow someone to pass in the lane. An argument between the couple led to him walking off a second time, Mr Lawrence said.

After Colfox sent Miss Winterbottom a text message, he returned to the car again and began shouting at her to get out.

Mr Lawrence said: “The defendant went towards her and grabbed her trying to force her out. He spat in her face on five separate occasions, shouting at her as he did so.

“He grabbed her phone and threw it onto the grass.”

Mr Lawrence said as Miss Winterbottom took hold of his laptop, Colfox grabbed her by the right arm and also by the neck to force her head downwards. He then let go of her neck and grabbed her left hand.

He added: “The victim shouted at the defendant, ‘You’re going to break my arm’ and he replied ‘I’m trying to break your arm’.

Colfox left the car and Miss Winterbottom stayed in the vehicle for four-and-a-half hours before he returned to apologise, saying he had ‘flipped out’. He then took her to hospital.

Ian Brazier, mitigating, said the argument had come about because Colfox was keen to prepare for a trip to India the next day while Miss Winterbottom wanted to engage in conversation about other matters.

He added: “She took the laptop and threatened to destroy it and he admits to overreacting and grabbing at her. He accepts he went too far.”

Mr Brazier said Colfox was keen for the relationship to continue. Colfox gave Miss Winterbottom some money as a form of compensation and made his own inquiries about attending a course to try and change his behaviour.

Magistrates said they accepted he had shown remorse.