DRUNKEN Steven Eaton punched his former girlfriend Tanya Purver in the face, knocking her unconscious in a Calne pub, a court heard.

The attack on January 8 left Ms Purver, of Honeysuckle Close, Calne, with a bruise to her left eye, bump on the head and lacerations to her left eye-brow, Chippenham magistrates were told on Monday.

Nicola Wooton, prosecuting, said 23-year-old Eaton, of Bracknell, Berks, who admitted actual bodily harm, was described as drunk on the night of the attack.

Ms Purver had arranged the meeting with Eaton to discuss their relationship but he had become aggressive when she started to talk to other men. Eaton began shouting at Ms Purver and calling her 'slag' before knocking her unconscious.

The next thing Ms Purver knew was she was in Great Western Hospital in Swindon. "She said she was very scared of the defendant," said Ms Wooton.

The court heard that Eaton had lived with Ms Purver at her home in Calne for several months last year and they had had a four-week 'fling'. Ms Purver ended the relationship when Eaton became increasingly abusive.

After their relationship had ended Eaton received a warning notice for harassing Ms Purver.

Tim Hammick, defending, said Eaton was extremely apologetic and remorseful for punching Ms Purver.

Eaton had not intended to punch her but the man she was cuddling next to, the court heard.

Eaton had appeared in court charged with intimidating Ms Purver with a large number of phone calls to her mobile phone, which he denied.

Eaton admitted a reduced charge of harassment as well as possession of 1.6grammes of cannabis resin. Sentence has been adjourned until February 10 and Eaton was granted bail.