A MAN who beat his girlfriend has been slammed for his disgraceful conduct and sent to prison. Shaun Bloomfield, of Millstream Close, Hitchin, appeared at Luton Crown Court on Friday. The court heard that he attacked his girlfriend, with whom he had an

A MAN who beat his girlfriend has been slammed for his "disgraceful conduct" and sent to prison.

Shaun Bloomfield, of Millstream Close, Hitchin, appeared at Luton Crown Court on Friday.

The court heard that he attacked his girlfriend, with whom he had an "on-off" relationship, earlier this year.

He had gone round to her house at 3am and, before going to sleep, given her £10 to buy some shopping with the next day.

When his girlfriend returned from the shops the next morning, he was angry and accused her of stealing the money.

Prosecuting, Penelope Rector said: "They argued in the doorway of her flat and he lost his temper.

"He grabbed her by her hair and pulled her inside where he then attacked her. She was punched on the nose and left with cuts and bruises."

Bloomfield, 40, was later arrested but denied beating his girlfriend. He said she must have fallen to sustain her injuries but a witness had seen what happened in the doorway.

Stephen Akinsanya, defending, said the root of Bloomfield's problems was drink and drug abuse.

He said Bloomfield was brought up in a care home where he was himself abused.

He said: "Is it any wonder he started to mete out what was meted to him? It was disgraceful conduct for which he is not proud. He has pleaded guilty and is remorseful and embarrassed.

"He has previous convictions and needs constructive measures such as undertaking a drugs rehabilitation programme to stop his cycle of re-offending."

Judge Richard Foster said: "This is disgraceful conduct for which you should be ashamed. Your defence say you are remorseful, but you denied what happened in your first police interview. I think you are remorseful for being caught, not for what you did. It was down to luck the woman was not more badly hurt by what you did."

Bloomfield was sent to prison for 12 months.