A MAN with a history of domestic violence has been jailed for attacking a woman he met online with a novelty Walking Dead-style bat.

Liam Ambrose, 26, from Liverpool, appeared in Warrington Magistrates' Court after beating a woman in Runcorn in what the judge described as a caveman-like attack.

On Tuesday, February 26, the court was told that the woman had suffered bruising to the neck and lips and swelling to her ribs.

Ambrose originally pleaded not guilty to causing the injuries but changed his plea on the day.

Debbie Byrne, prosecuting, said on February 12, Ambrose had met a woman at her Runcorn home where they shared alcoholic drinks.

They had been dating for a while after meeting through the online dating website, Plenty of Fish.

The court heard how Ambrose caused an argument by asking the woman where she had been.

He proceeded to slap and punch her and push her off the couch before starting to strangle her.

Ambrose then kicked her in the ribs and hit her with a plastic bat, a replica of one from the TV series, The Walking Dead.

The force of this caused the bat to snap.

He then grabbed her hair and dragged the victim, but she lashed out at him, pulling out his lip ring.

Ambrose told her, 'look what you've done to my face' and when she made the same remark to him, he replied 'it doesn't matter about your face, you are disgusting anyway'.

During interviews, Ambrose said the pair had been causally dating and he wasn't a jealous person.

He said they were both drinking and she had hit him so he retaliated in defence.

The court heard how Ambrose said the woman had hit him with the bat first so he had pushed her to the ground, then they had both cried and said sorry.

He said that he did not pull her hair or strangle her but admitted he may have used more force than he remembered.

Ambrose has three previous convictions for eight offences, some of which are domestic related.

Jonathan Conder, defending, invited the court to recognise the length of time since Ambrose's last court appearance in 2015.

He said he had been working for a retailer and was due to start a degree in music production.

He also showed remorse for the injuries he caused to the victim.

District Judge Bridget Knight, sentencing, told Ambrose: "The one decent thing you have done is changed your plea for what you did to the victim.

"It was a sustained and very serious and maniacal, and at times, caveman way of attacking her.

"It is not the first time that you have done this to another human being."

Ambrose was jailed for 20 weeks to serve half in custody and half on licence.

He was also made subject to a restraining order to prevent him from entering Runcorn or contacting the victim.

District Judge Knight added: "I hope for the sake of future victims that you do not do it again."