Blood was coming from a woman’s nose and her eyes were swollen and bruised after her husband slapped and punched her as they walked home from a Christening party.
Sebastian Kmiecik and his wife Wioleta went to the party in Marshlands Drive, Holbeach, on July 27 and started walking home shortly before 11pm.
Jim Clare, prosecuting, said both had been drinking but others at the party described the husband as being “somewhat heavily in drink”.
On the way home, Kmiecik became abusive to his wife, but she tried to calm him by telling him that she loved him.
He then became aggressive and began to slap and punch her.
Mr Clare said Mrs Kmiecik tried to escape to a nearby house, but the husband grabbed her and pulled her away.
She finally managed to get away and sought help from a woman resident who called police.
While police were investigating, Kmiecik went back to the party, where there was another incident of violence.
Mr Clare said a neighbour called police to say there were about five or six people fighting at that location.
Police interviewed Kmiecik, who described his relationship with his wife as very good unless he had been drinking.
Kmiecik couldn’t recall what happened, but was shown photographs of his wife’s injuries.
Mr Clare told the court: “He was described as very upset when shown the injury photographs of his wife by the police officers and accepts that if his wife says it happened in that particular way, that is how it happened.
“He said ‘alcohol absolutely blinded me’.”
Kmiecik (31), of Park Gardens, Holbeach, pleaded guilty to assault at a previous hearing and was in court on Thursday for sentence.
He was given a year-long community order with supervision and must do 80 hours’ unpaid work.
Kmiecik was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.
Solicitor Mike Alexander, mitigating, said: “Mr Kmiecik simply wishes me to say to the court his behaviour on that particular occasion was appalling.”
He said the couple have resumed their relationship, but his wife says “we are over” if there is a repeat incident.
Mr Alexander said: “His only goal is to make sure he can look after his wife and his children. He doesn’t want to drink any more. He has stopped drinking completely.
“He recognises drink was at least one of the causes of what happened on this particular occasion.”
Presiding magistrate Peter Dolby said the bench agreed the incident was appalling.