by Joe Walker

A girl found with a black eye and bleeding nose after a sustained assault by her ex-boyfriend has spoken of her ordeal.

Cammie Brett, 19, says she was terrified as Matthew Foad pushed her to the ground and hit her in the face after stealing her mobile phone.

She was found in a "distressed state" outside the Brewery Bar in Whitstable by two police officers she described as "knights in shining armour".

Miss Brett says she dumped Foad on the morning of the assault in July but he grew angry after seeing her with two other boys.

She said: "We’d been together for a year and a half but I’d had enough and ended it.

"Later that night, at about 11.30pm, he saw me outside the Brewery Bar talking to two boys.

"Not long after, he came over when I was on the phone to another man. He demanded to know who I was speaking to and tried grabbing my phone.

"That’s when everything started. I felt so scared and worried what he might do. I felt out of my depth."

Canterbury Magistrates’ Court heard on Friday how two police officers had been walking through Whitstable harbour when they heard a man shouting.

They found an agitated Foad, who told them: "I haven’t been drinking. I’ve just had an argument with my missus."

Police found Miss Brett in a distressed state with swelling to her face and a bleeding nose.

One of the officers rushed back towards Foad but he fled the scene. He was later caught and charged.

In a statement, he told the police: "I snatched the mobile phone from Cammie Brett’s hand. She tried to get it back by slapping at me.

"I pushed her away and my hand made contact with her face. She fell over and I fell with her."

Foad said that Miss Brett tried twice more to get her phone back and he pushed her away. The third time, she fell to the ground again.

"I then threw the phone on the floor and stamped on it.

"I accept her injuries were caused as a result of my actions."

Foad, 23, of Railway Avenue, Whitstable, admitted causing actual bodily harm at the court.

He had initially denied the charge but changed his plea as he was due to face trial earlier this month.

Defending Foad, who also admitted criminal damage, Lesley Welsh said his actions were "out of character".

She said: "He recognises his behaviour was unacceptable and doesn’t wish to blame the victim in any way."

After being shown pictures of Miss Brett’s injuries, magistrates ordered Foad to pay her £150 compensation and gave him a 12-month community order. He was also made to pay £200 court costs.

jwalker@thekmgroup.co.uk