A HEREFORD man who claimed he had 'more lives than a cat' was spared a prison sentence by magistrates despite breaching two court orders and headbutting his former partner.

Jamie Brown, 23, of Howard Court, Moor Farm, had already served 22 days in prison on remand before he admitted assault by beating, breaching a restraining order and breaking a suspended sentence last week.

Lesley Ashton, prosecuting at Hereford Magistrates Court, said that on March 12, Brown headbutted Nicola Sheehan who he was prevented from contacting.

Despite an 'indefinite' restraining order being in place on Brown not to have contact with his former partner, the pair began seeing each other after Christmas.

"She believed that he may have changed," said Mrs Ashton.

"He spent time with her and stayed at her house once or twice a week. She made it clear she wanted to take it step by step."

On March 12, Brown had been fishing while drinking cans of Strongbow and wine.

After he returned to Miss Sheehan's home at around 8.45pm she put her children to bed.

When she came back downstairs he was shouting and asked why his brother's number was on her phone.

"She said it was just somebody she trusted," said Mrs Ashton.

"Brown got really angry and said he was going to blow Miss Sheehan's car up and make sure her children were taken from her.

"The defendant was petrified but tried to stay calm."

"He then threw a Strongbow can at her which just missed her leg. The victim was in complete shock and said 'what's this all about'.

"The defendant then headbutted her on the bridge of her nose.

"He said 'what are you going to do you can't phone the police they won't believe you anyway, my solicitor says I have more lives than a cat."

Miss Sheehan ran into the kitchen and telephoned 999 while Brown came into the kitchen collected his motorbike helmet and left.

Mrs Ashton said that the suspended sentence was imposed for an incident in March 2014 when Brown had stolen the keys to Miss Sheehan's car before crashing into a kerb and three parked cars before driving off at speed.

Philip Cornell, mitigating, said the pair had been in a long standing relationship and the likelihood of his re-offending was unlikely.

"Brown had already spent three weeks in custody thinking about this," Mr Cornell said.

"He's got a good work ethic, boundless enthusiasm and has never been on the dole.

"If he was told he has nine lives that was many years ago in a moment of weakness by the solicitor."

Magistrates said that Brown had already served the suspended sentence during his 22 days on remand.

They ordered him to complete a 12 month community order, 20 days of rehabilitation activity requirement and 60 hours of unpaid work for the other offences.