An ex-marine threw a mobile phone at his former partner's head after she confronted him about messaging other women.
David Hopkins, 40, had been attempting to seek professional help for significant mental health issues, including anxiety, depression and symptoms of PTSD.
Manchester Crown Court heard his ex-girlfriend had tried to arrange treatment for Hopkins, but that he faced a long wait to be assessed by mental health services.
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The court heard that the dad-of-two instead began self-medicating with alcohol, putting a strain on the couple's previously happy three-year relationship.
On April 22 this year, prosecutor Benjamin Knight said the couple had been out for lunch before picking up the victim's five-year-old daughter from school.
"In the victim's words it had been a 'lovely day,'" Mr Knight told the court.
Hopkins had arranged to meet his former partner and her daughter in a public house later that afternoon, and began drinking before he met them.
"He had a few drinks before and then continued to drink with the victim saying he had become lairy and loud," Mr Knight said.
"When they went back to her home there was an unpleasant atmosphere. The defendant was saying ‘you don’t love me anymore.’
"She decided the best thing to do was busy herself."
The court heard that Hopkins left his phone on a table as a number of messages, which appeared to be from other women, began to come through.
"The victim confronted him about it asked him to leave. That resulted in a mobile phone being thrown by the defendant," Mr Knight said.
"She noticed she was bleeding and the defendant belittled and patronised her, saying; 'don't make out like you're the f***** victim and I am the abuser.'
"The following morning the victim had to tell her daughter she had fallen over.
"She went to the hospital on April 27 as she couldn’t open her eye. By April 29 she could open her eye but complained of blurred vision."
In an impact statement read to the court, the victim said: "I feel it is important to say the man I fell in love with and the man who assaulted me are completely different people.
"I believe he was mentally unwell.
"I believe if he had received the help when he needed it this would not have happened."
Mitigating, Paul Brynning said his client had joined the marines in 2000 and was involved in a number of deployments before leaving in 2004.
"He is determined to turn his life around and has engaged in a university course in Criminology and hopes to complete his HGV licence," Mr Brynning said.
"He has now started to address his mental health issues. Due to covid he has not made the progress he would like but he is going to counselling.
"The councillor believes he is most likely suffering from anxiety, depression, PTSD and borderline personality disorder, but he is still waiting to be seen by a psychiatrist."
Hopkins, of Herristone Road, Crumpsall, was jailed for 18 months suspended for 18 months after admitting one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Sentencing, Recorder Kate Cornell said: "You caused a nasty injury to someone you were supposed to love and care for in her own home.
"All the while her daughter and your surrogate daughter was in the house. She had to lie to her child to cover up the violence she received at your hands.
"Having looked at the photographs I am astonished you didn’t urge her to attend the hospital.
"It seems you may have been affected by your time in the army."
Recorder Cornell said she was able to suspend the sentence because Hopkins had shown a ‘willingness to change.’
"A short shock of custody would not help you anymore than it would help the public," she added.
Hopkins was also ordered to complete 25 days of rehabilitation, and was made subject to a curfew from 7pm until 6am for six months.
