John O’Neill, 50, previously admitted repeatedly hitting the woman on the head and pushing her on the body during the attack in her bedroom.

O’Neill, of Keil Crescent, appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court last week for sentencing.

Fraser Gibson, fiscal depute, told the court the incident took place at the woman’s home at Murroch Drive on June 7 last year.

At around 9am, she told O’Neill she was heading out to the shops.

Mr Gibson said: “This annoyed the accused, who said that if she went out, he would not be there when she came back. She went out and returned a while later.

“Some time afterwards, she went upstairs and the accused followed her into the bedroom.

“He walked up to her and said ‘why do you keep annoying me?’” O’Neill then lashed out, punching his partner in the face and causing her to fall on to the bed.

Mr Gibson told the court: “The complainer was shouting at him, telling him to stop but he continued to punch her on the face.

“She then kicked out in an effort to get away from him. At that point, he pushed her on the body.” The woman managed to break free and headed downstairs. She collected her daughter and made for her mother’s address which was situated directly below her own.

At the same time, the victim’s mother had heard shouting and screaming and had started making her way upstairs.

Mr Gibson continued: “Her mother saw the complainer walk out of the flat, followed by the accused, and saw blood on the complainer’s face.

“The accused then returned to the locus and police were called.” O’Neill’s victim was found to have swelling and bruising to her right eye-socket and nose, and a one-inch laceration to her forehead.

He was interviewed in Clydebank Police Station and told officers: “It was a square-go with my partner.

“We were arguing and she kicked me.” Kenny Clark, defending, told the court the only contact O’Neill had had with his partner since the incident was via the two parties’ families.

He added the woman had indicated she did want O’Neill back in her life after the conclusion of court matters.

Mr Clark said: “It appeared there had been a degree of niggling between them before she went to the shops.

“I understand they were toe to toe. She kicked him on the shin and that was the catalyst for him punching her.

“He accepts he punched her two or three times. He accepts responsibility for what happened. It was his fault.” Sheriff Simon Pender told O’Neill that he was prepared to deal with the matter by way of a direct alternative to a jail term.

He sentenced O’Neill to 180 hours of unpaid work, to be completed within nine months.

He will be under supervision for 18 months.