A FORMER soldier attacked his pregnant partner in her own home while high on alcohol and cocaine, a court heard.

Having taken the class A drug, 30-year-old Russell Burns became paranoid and turned on victim Jennifer Carr in the false belief she was having an affair.

Carlisle Crown Court heard Miss Carr was comforted in a Whitehaven street by one of her neighbours following the late night incident.

Burns fled the scene but was found by police a short time later.

He pleaded guilty to assaulting his partner and was brought before Judge Barbara Forrester.

Tim Evans, prosecuting, told the court several neighbours were alerted to a disturbance in the early hours of May 29. This involved Burns and his partner of two years Miss Carr.

“They heard a female shouting ‘get off me, get off me’. A male voice was shouting ‘where is it, you sly bitch?’. He was opening up her clothing, pulling at her dress at the front.”

Miss Carr was left in a dishevelled state as Burns ran away from police. She told officers she had been attacked inside her home earlier that night.

“The defendant thought she had someone in the bedroom. He looked under the bed clothes,” said Mr Evans.

“Once downstairs he locked the door and took her phone from her but she was able to get out into the street.

“She said she was pregnant to try and calm him down and she was, 18 weeks pregnant, at the time of this unhappy incident.”

Burns told officers he and his partner had earlier been to watch a boxing match. He was drinking and had taken cocaine, and stated he then became paranoid.

The court heard Burns had assaulted his partner earlier this year with a wine bottle, leaving her with a “significant” scalp wound.

He was said to be absent without leave from the Army, and had yet to be officially discharged. However, he was no longer a solider and had latterly been working as a plasterer.

Greg Hoare, defending, stated that Burns, of Halloways Grove, Whitehaven, acknowledged the “crass stupidity” of his conduct towards his partner.

“He recognises that his past behaviour has been absolutely unconscionable and recognises that he could have no complaints if Your Honour decided he had to go to custody,” Mr Hoare said to Judge Forrester.

Having heard submissions, the judge decided to adjourn the case to seek more information about Burns’s personal circumstances.

He was remanded in custody and is due to learn his fate later this month.