A MAN headbutted his girlfriend in the face after a New Year celebration turned sour.

Zimbabwe-born Paddington Muzondiwa and his on/off partner been seeing in the New Year at a Bolton town centre bar and nightclub.

But Bolton Crown Court heard how, in the early hours of January 1, he accused her of cheating on him with someone they had seen in The Bar.

"He headbutted her in the face. The force of that knocked her off her feet," said Duncan Wilcock, prosecuting.

The girlfriend was left with a bloody nose and police were called. Muzondiwa, aged 35, of Cannon Street, Radcliffe, pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm.

Simeon Evans, defending, said that, although he also has previous convictions for assaulting her, she regularly visited him in prison while he awaited sentencing.

She described him as "a good family man".

Judge Timothy Stead sentenced Muzondiwa to six months in prison.

He added that, after considering all the evidence, only a custodial sentence was justified.