ALCOHOLIC Robin Deo is facing a jail sentence, after launching a vicious attack on his long-suffering wife and a family friend. During a violent incident at their Ely home, Deo grabbed his wife Gita around the neck, hit her legs, and threw her on the sofa

ALCOHOLIC Robin Deo is facing a jail sentence, after launching a vicious attack on his long-suffering wife and a family friend.

During a violent incident at their Ely home, Deo grabbed his wife Gita around the neck, hit her legs, and threw her on the sofa.

Friend Andrew Simpkins tried to protect Mrs Deo by pulling her husband off, and was hit in the face, punched and kicked.

"This was a particularly nasty assault on your wife," presiding magistrate Sue Griffin told Deo at Ely courthouse on Thursday. "We are considering a custodial sentence."

Deo, 38, who used to live in Beresford Road, Ely, but had a bail address in Wilburton, was remanded in custody.

He admitted assaulting Gita Deo on July 1 and September 1, and assaulting Andrew Simpkins on September 1.

Mrs Deo made a 999 call to police on July 1, and officers found her in an emotional state, said prosecutor Gareth Jacques. Her husband had hit her several times and grabbed her around the stomach after drinking eight cans of lager and a bottle of wine.

On September 1, Deo was abusive, complaining that there was alcohol in the house, and he had been "set up".

After Deo and his friend Andrew Simpkins struggled on the floor, Deo grabbed his wife around the throat, and he was restrained by Mr Simpkins.

"The defendant continued to shout, saying he was going to send his wife back to Fiji, and told her to pack her bag," said Mr Jacques.

When Mr Simpkins took away Deo's car keys, he was struck repeatedly in the face, punched and kicked.

Mrs Deo did not suffer any injuries after the incident on September 1, said solicitor Guy Holland. Deo had linked his arms around his wife's neck, but had not applied force.

"He rough-handled her," he said, "but there was no visible injury." Mr Simpkins and Deo had both been drinking before the incident. Deo denied any kicking, but accepted his recollection was patchy.

"He thought Andrew Simpkins was about to drive off in his car, and over-reacted by punching him," he explained.

Deo had been married to long-suffering Gita for three-and-a-half years, said Mr Holland. He suffered ill health due to his diabetes being misdiagnosed, and lost his job with local government in February.