A DOMESTIC abuser spat in a woman’s face and slapped her, leaving her bruised in two attacks.

David O’Driscoll, 31, attacked the woman twice after their relationship broke up last year in Eastbourne.

The thug begged to be let back into her home because of his mental health problems.

But then he used crack cocaine paid for with her cash and twice attacked her.

In one incident she awoke to find him pouring beer over her from a can, then he grabbed her head by her hair.

In the second attack he forced his way into her bedroom where she had barricaded herself in and forced her onto the bed before slapping her in the face.

At Lewes Crown Court O’Driscoll admitted two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He was given a 20-month suspended sentence.

Lewes Crown Court.

Lewes Crown Court.

It was revealed O’Driscoll wrote a letter “expressing his remorse” and included a poem for the judge about his experiences of using class A drugs.

Jonathan Atkinson, prosecuting, said the couple broke up last year but problems with O’Driscoll’s behaviour continued.

On June 26 he went to buy crack cocaine, then woke up the victim, whom The Argus has chosen not to name.

Mr Atkinson said: “She woke up and found him holding a can over her head and poured it on her. She walked away to go upstairs to her bedroom.

She tried to make a call to the police.

“He followed her, shouting at her then lunging at her rapidly and spitting on her face. She begged him to stop, but he carried on, grabbing at her hair and yanking her head up.”

She was left with bruises on her face after the attack, and police bail conditions warned him to stay away.

But on July 25 she felt lonely because of the lockdown and asked him to come over. He promised that things would be different.

Mr Atkinson said: “She had gone upstairs,the defendant came upstairs shouting. He was aggressive and spitting in her face and grabbed her by the throat. He then forced her onto the sofa and slapped her on the buttocks.

“He started apologising, saying she made him do this.”

PICTURE POSED BY MODEL A man stands with a clenched fist as a woman cowers in the corner..

PICTURE POSED BY MODEL A man stands with a clenched fist as a woman cowers in the corner..

Later she got to her bedroom but he forced his way in and continued to attack her and slap her in the face.

Justin Rivett, defending, said O’Driscoll, of Wilmington Gardens, Eastbourne, had battled drug and alcohol addictions.

O’Driscoll, a father-of-three, was in prison on remand from his arrest and had time to reflect on his appalling abuse.

Judge Christine Laing QC said: “These are disturbing offences. It involved spitting and pouring drink on someone’s head and her hair being pulled.”

The judge ordered O’Driscoll to complete the Building Better Relationships programme for domestic violence and abuse and told him to pay £400 in compensation to the woman.