WORKMEN had to save a woman from her violent boyfriend after he began attacking her in the street following a night out.

Kurtis Wood had been drinking vodka and beer as well as taking cocaine during the evening with his partner at a friend’s house on June 20.

They had been in a “turbulent” relationship for three years and Bolton Crown Court heard how, after leaving the house to walk home the following morning, Wood became angry when his girlfriend got her phone out, thinking she had received a message from her mother.

“Without saying anything, the defendant grabbed her phone from her hand and threw it on the floor, causing it to smash into pieces,” said Patrick Williamson, prosecuting.

He then smashed his own phone and told her, “You can’t get hold of anyone now.”

As they continued walking towards the Best One shop on Lever Street, Bolton, they were shouting other when Wood punched the woman in the mouth and jaw and repeatedly pushed her to the ground.

“She was crying and she was shouting for him to stop,” said Mr Williamson.

Wood then demanded she go into the shop to buy alcohol, but the store did not sell any and, after they left, he resumed pushing her to the ground.

“Fortunately for her, a group of men who worked at the factory down the road had seen what was going on and intervened,” said Mr Williamson.

When Wood responded aggressively, one of them punched him and they then took the woman to the factory and contacted police.

The woman was left in pain and with a swollen lip and multiple bruises.

Later the same morning 26-year-old Wood, of Fearnhead Close, Farnworth, was arrested at his mother’s home.

He told police that he has a personality disorder and did not recall the incident.

Wood, who has previous convictions for 34 offences, including several for violence, pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm and criminal damage.

Nicholas Ross, defending, stressed that Wood, who was remanded in prison following the attack, has stayed out of trouble since 2019.

The Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Martin Walsh, told Wood that, taking into account the amount of time he has been on remand, it is in the public interest that he works with the probation service to address his offending.

He sentenced Wood to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years during which he must participate in 25 days of rehabilitation activities and undertake relationship and alcohol treatment programmes.

A restraining order was made banning him from contacting his victim.