A MAN who assaulted his girlfriend after she became angry at him for leaving the bathroom door open has been fined.

Trevor Benjamin, aged 43, of Clevedon Road, began arguing with his girlfriend when he sat on the toilet with the door open while her mother was trying to eat just outside the room.

The court heard Benjamin had been drinking before the incident, which took place on Saturday, after Benjamin had been trying to ‘wind up’ his partner.

Prosecuting, Mae Lee, said: “Everything was fine when he first arrived. He said he accidentally left the door open, she took offence to this because her mother was eating in the vicinity.

“She starting shouting at him and he then didn’t help the situation and admitted winding her up.

“There was an argument which ended in him pushing her onto the sofa, shouting at her and spitting in her face.”

Mitigating, Kieran Hughes, described the incident as a ‘simple accident’. He said: “He is currently going through a custody battle for his four-year-old son.

“He had been drinking. He was trying to seek some solace with his friends.

“It was a simple accident, he goes to use the toilet, he thinks the door is closed, it opens. She starts shouting at him. He then grabs her and holds her to get her to listen.

“He accepts he shouldn’t have done that, but he did not maliciously spit at her, any spit that hit her face was accidental.”

Benjamin appeared at North Somerset Courthouse on Monday where he pleaded guilty to assault by beating.

Benjamin had been in custody since his arrest on Saturday afternoon and the magistrates took this in account when considering his sentence.

Benjamin was handed a £50 fine as well as an order to pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.