A man has been handed a suspended prison sentence and barred from entering Welshpool after inflicting horrible injuries on his partner in two separate attacks.

When police attended the home address of Nicolay Nikolaev and his partner, in Welshpool, on July 30, they noticed the victim's face was blooded, with bruising on her face, cheeks and chin, as well as her arms and throat.

Bulgarian Nikolaev, 33, previously admitted two counts of assault - one occasioning actual bodily harm on July 23, and another assault on July 30.

At a hearing at Welshpool Magistrates’ Court last month, at which the bench sent the case for sentencing in Mold, prosecutor Helen Tench said the defendant was on police bail for the first assault when he committed the second more serious offence a week later.

“Police were called by a concerned neighbour. The victim said she didn’t want police to enter the house but officers saw blood on her face,” Mrs Tench said.

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“Her nose was swollen and there were blood stained tissues on the floor.

“She was shouting loudly that no-one was present, but the officer believed she was in fear.”

Nikolaev was located upstairs in a bedroom, with no top on. There was blood spatter on a bedside cabinet and on a pillow where he was sitting.

“He had blood residue on his hands,” said Mrs Tench.

“One officer believed he was rubbing hand gel on his hands. He appeared to have fresh blood smeared on his back, believed to have come from the victim.

“PC Hewitt described the victim as extremely upset. The defendant was arrested and the victim repeatedly said ‘sorry’ to him.”

Police described one of the victim’s cheeks as being “swollen like a golf ball”. She told one officer Nikolaev had taken her into the bathroom and smashed her face on the sink.

She was scared of the defendant and his friends, who she believed would come after her. She also said there had been a history of abuse throughout the relationship.

At Mold on Wednesday, September 4, Simon Mintz, representing Nikolaev, said: “He’s not of good character but has no similar previous similar convictions.

“It is clear from the injuries this was a sustained and nasty attack. Officers could see that on the face of the victim.

“There is nothing brave about the way he behaved but it was a brave plea because she did not cooperate with police and did not provide a victim impact statement.

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“There is no application for a restraining order. He could have bluffed it out and see how he went, but he didn’t do that.”

Mr Mintz said Nikolaev, a car wash worker, had experienced a “sobering” summer in custody, his first experience of prison.

Judge Niclas Parry jailed Nikolaev for 12 months – but said he would suspend it for 18 months.

“I am giving you a suspended sentence because you pleaded guilty, even though you knew your victim was not helping the police; this suggests you are properly sorry.

“I think it is better for the future protection of women [to give you a] suspended sentence, with conditions. This is a chance for you to try and help women in the future.”

Nikolaev must not enter Welshpool and must attend 35 sessions of a building better relations programme, as well as wear an alcohol abstinence monitoring tag for 120 days.