A man wrought with “regret” downed 12 beers and a bottle of wine then punched his girlfriend in the face.

Kane Richardson, of Birchington, delivered the blow with such force it caused “blood to pour down” Stacey Hill’s face at a home in Margate.

The pair were watching television while Richardson binged on alcohol when a minor argument swiftly turned sinister.

During the row, the 33-year-old “clenched his fist, pulled back his hand” then rained down the blow.

The impact caused Ms Hill to feel “instant pain,” Margate Magistrate’s Court heard.

Richardson, who pleaded guilty to assaulting Ms Hill by beating, was handed a two-year restraining order.

“He punched me in the nose and I felt instant pain - then there was blood pouring down my face...”

In a statement read out in court last Thursday, Ms Hill said he instantly claimed to have forgotten delivering the punch, asking “who punched you?”

“We were watching TV when he snatched the TV remote out of my hand,” Ms Hill explained.

“Then he started rocking back and forth and talking about his mental health - I tried to calm him down by saying it’s okay, calm down, calm down.

“But he clenched his fist pulled his hand back, looked me in the eyes and then he punched me in the nose and I felt instant pain - then there was blood pouring down my face.”

Prosecutor Terry Knox said one of Ms Hill’s friends rushed to her aid after hearing her scream.

But they were confronted with Richardson demanding: “Do you want some as well?”

However, moments later Richardson reportedly asked Ms Hill “Who punched you?”

“I couldn’t tell if he was just being sarcastic or if he just didn’t know what he did,” Ms Hill’s statement continued.

“He doesn’t drink every day, but when he starts he can’t stop until he passes out or runs out of money...”

The pair had been in an on-off relationship at the time of Richardson’s “regretful” actions in September last year, the court heard.

Mark Trafford, mitigating, said: “In a recording taken after the event he can be heard apologising several times.

“It’s been a wake up call for him.

“He doesn’t drink every day, but when he starts he can’t stop until he passes out or runs out of money.”

Jennifer Lennard, chair of the bench, handed Richardson a 12-month community order and ordered him to pay the £274.