A Liverpool fan gripped his partner by the throat and punched her after an argument about England skipper Harry Kane's future at Tottenham.
Christopher Venna hit the mother of his child, who is a Tottenham-supporter, after a row about football got out of hand. The 43-year-old admitted assaulting Anna Cooper in her home in Gloucester, the city's Crown Court was told.
Prosecutor Mandla Ndlovu told the court the couple had been in a relationship for four years and Ms Cooper was the mother of Venna's young son. On August, 5 last year, he said, Venna was visiting her at her home and was in a "talkative and loud" mood.
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Mr Ndlovu said that Ms Cooper got a migraine and asked Venna to be quieter and left the room. When she left and stopped engaging in conversation, Mr Ndlovu said Venna shouted "Yes, just f*** off to the kitchen" and he said to their son "your mum's a d***head."
He added: "She asked him to leave but he ignored her request. When she asked him again he leapt up from the chair and walked towards her in an intimidating manner saying 'Or what?'
"He backed her into a corner. She was terrified. She put her arms up and pushed him in the chest to get some distance between them.
She suddenly felt a sharp pain on the left side of her face near the jaw. She shouted 'I can't believe you just hit me!' He responded by saying she had hit him first."
Mr Ndlovu then told the court that when Ms Cooper tried to leave, he pulled her back and squeezed her neck. He was then pulled off her by Ms Coopers older son, who claims to have seen Venna on top of his mother.
Mr Ndlovu said Venna, of Partridge Close, Podsmead, then left the house and left Ms Cooper with cuts to the mouth and swelling of the jaw. On February 15 this year he appeared before Cheltenham Magistrates and pleaded not guilty to assaulting her.
Then, just six days later, he went to her home to collect his son and while there he asked her '"are you trying to send me to prison?" Mr Ndlovu said she replied "no" and Venna responded "why are you lying on your statement then?" She took their son back indoors and he threw down the child's bags of toys and clothes that she had given him and left.
The court heard that Venna had a criminal record which included convictions for assault in 2005 and 2007. Venna, who was not legally represented, told the judge, Recorder Richard Mawhinney, that on the day of the assault they had been talking about football.
He said: "She is a Tottenham supporter, like her father. She is the only woman I know who knows the offside rule. I support Liverpool. They are not the greatest of rivals but she didn't like what I was saying about Harry Kane."
The confrontation between Venna and his partner took place at the time of speculation that Harry Kane wanted to leave Spurs to go to Manchester City but Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy wanted him to stay and complete his contract. Venna told the court: "I said to her that you have to blame the Chairman, who not many supporters like.
"She wouldn't have it because I was blaming Tottenham for the situation. She got up and left the room and I said to her son 'Your mum's a d***head.' She didn't like me saying that and she told me to get out.
"I said 'What exactly are you going to do?' and I walked towards her to put something in the bin. She gave me an uppercut punch and caught the bottom of my jaw. I put my hands forward to push her away. I must have caught her on the face. She fell to the floor. "
Venna said the only reason he had admitted her allegation of 'strangulation' as part of the assault charge was because he did not want to take the case to trial. He added: "I know for a fact that I didn't hold her by the throat, I didn't need to."
He said: "I'm not a person who hits women. But if you hit me and don't expect me to hit back you must be delusional. It was just a reaction to being hit. However, I am where I am today and I am accepting responsibility for what happened and I am regretful and very sorry for this incident because it has taken a toll on my life."
Jailing Venna for 16 months for the assault and three months consecutively for witness intimidation the judge told him: "You have been minimising responsibility for your actions. There may have been some provocation but that does not excuse striking a woman, by whatever means, and inflicting injuries."
Venna, of Partridge Close, Podsmead, was jailed for nineteen months after he admitted assaulting her causing actual bodily harm and a subsequent offence of witness intimidation against her. The judge also imposed a four year restraining order banning Venna from any contact with his victim.
As Venna was taken to the cells he said: "Thank you for being an absolute joke, Your Honour."
