A thug kicked a stairgate at his partner in a row over lights being turned on and off during the night.

Ricki Dennis flew into a rage after arriving home from a drinking session, hitting his victim's shin with the gate, breaking her iPhone and damaging a wall at their home in Margate.

The 32-year-old electrician had returned in the early hours of the morning when his partner was in bed.

He was said to have then turned the bedroom lights on and off about 15 times while the woman was trying to sleep, which disturbed her.

An argument broke out between the pair, during which Dennis ripped a stairgate from a wall and kicked another as the woman followed him through their home.

He then kicked a stairgate again while still in a rage, which hit his partner on the shin. He also threw her iPhone and punched a hole in a wall.

Dennis, of Balcomb Crescent, Margate was later arrested and charged with criminal damage and assault by beating.

He admitted the charges at a hearing in November last year and a pre-sentencing report was ordered to be carried out on him.

He was sentenced at Medway Magistrates' Court on January 18.

At the hearing, magistrates were told the incidents happened at the couple's home on November 23 last year and the woman didn't suffer any injury.

The bench heard Dennis could not remember the incident, after which he had left the home and woken up in a field.

The court was also told he had been on a community order at the time of the attack, which was imposed after he committed a previous offence of battery involving the same victim.

The bench was told Dennis was embarrassed and ashamed by his actions.

Magistrates revoked the community order he was on and placed him on another, which will see him complete 95 hours of unpaid work and attend 20 rehabilitation sessions.

Dennis was also ordered to wear an alcohol abstinence tag for 120 days, and pay a victim surcharge of £95 and £85 in costs.