by Julia Roberts

A thug who headbutted his pregnant girlfriend and told her she was lucky he had not "chinned or killed" her has been jailed for five months.

Lee Gray also subjected Samantha Wepener to punches, slaps, bites and hair-pulling during the attack at her aunt's home in Queenborough in June.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the 29-year-old even taunted Miss Wepener, who was 11 weeks' pregnant, that he should "kick that baby out of you".

Judge Michael Carroll said that despite it being a "bad assault", his powers were limited to a maximum sentence of six months.

However, he added he would limit any credit for Gray's guilty plea from the usual 30% to just 10% because Gray "had no choice" but to admit what he had done after some of the attack was recorded on a mobile phone.

Prosecutor Keith Yardy told the court violence erupted after Gray had been drinking heavily and Miss Wepener wanted to leave her aunt's home.

Locking the door from the inside, Gray became abusive and called Miss Wepener "scum" and "filth".

He then started to physically attack her. "He slapped her around the face with an open hand," said Mr Yardy.

"He then said: 'Lucky I didn't chin you or kill you' and headbutted her on the forehead.

"There were also bites to her finger, punches, slapping and verbal abuse. She was shaken by the defendant and her hair was pulled."

Mr Yardy said the verbal abuse included Gray saying: "I should kick that baby out of you. You don't deserve to have that baby. You should get it terminated."

Gray, of Kidman Close, Gidea Park, Romford in Essex, admitted assault by beating.

He denied an offence of false imprisonment and this was accepted by the Crown.

The court heard Gray has a previous conviction for common assault on Miss Wepener, and another against her mother, and was made subject to a restraining order in November.

Martin O'Rourke, defending, said Gray's only mitigation was his guilty plea.