BIRTHDAY celebrations for father-of-six John Smith turned sour when he assaulted his former partner during a meeting to mark the special day. Smith had been drinking when he head-butted Lorraine Hart and then pushed her into some railings, leading to one

BIRTHDAY celebrations for father-of-six John Smith turned sour when he assaulted his former partner during a meeting to mark the special day.

Smith had been drinking when he head-butted Lorraine Hart and then pushed her into some railings, leading to one of their children being hurt.

Before the attack, jealous Smith had quizzed Ms Hart about who she had been seeing since their parting, solicitor Michael Judkins explained to Ely magistrates.

"He worked himself up, and they argued," he said. "She slapped him, and he head butted her."

Prosecuting, Francesca Devine said the incident of domestic abuse happened when Smith went to meet his former partner and three of their children.

"It was his birthday, and she had agreed to meet him in town," she said. "He head butted her and pushed her into some railings, resulting in one of the children being injured."

Smith was given a supervision order for a similar offence last May, she said.

The couple have six children, aged between 21 and five years, said Mr Judkins, defending Smith. Last year Smith had admitted pushing Ms Hart into a sofa, because he was concerned about who she had been seeing. They had parted, but later reconciled.

"Earlier this year Ms Hart said the relationship was not working," said Mr Judkins. "He was devastated and took an overdose. He moved into Ely, and his family remained in Sutton."

On the day of the assault, Smith had been drinking because it was his birthday. He has not seen his children since the incident, and is being treated for depression.

Smith, who is homeless, admitted assaulting Lorraine Hart in Ely on March 27. Sentencing was adjourned until May 1, and he was given conditional bail.