BLEACH was used as a weapon in a domestic row that landed a man in court on an assault charge.

Darlington Magistrates’ Court heard that 50-year-old Paul Hamilton poured bleach over his partner and rubbed it into her scalp during an argument at their Darlington home on February 18.

Prosecutor John Garside said Hamilton had left the house after arguing with his partner but later returned and tried to climb through a window because the door was locked.

Mr Garside said Hamilton’s partner was screaming at him to leave and that is when she grabbed a bottle of bleach from the kitchen and squirted some at him.

Mr Garside continued: “She lets him in the back door and he has grabbed the bottle of bleach and poured the bleach down the complainant’s front.

“She is wearing a V-neck pyjama top and remembers feeling the liquid on her and a burning sensation.

“He then pours it on her hair and rubs it into her scalp.”

Mr Garside added that the victim was taken to hospital for treatment.

Hamilton, of Tees Drive, Darlington, pleaded guilty to assault on the basis that he was retaliating to his partner’s actions.

Mitigating, Rory Todd described the couple’s relationship as volatile and destructive.

He said that on the night of the incident Hamilton had left the house to avoid further confrontation with his partner, who had been drinking.

He intended to stay at his cousin’s house but when he could not contact him, he decided to return home and sleep in the shed, but this woke his partner’s dogs up.

Mr Todd said: “He then wants to sleep on the sofa, he goes to climb through the window because the door is locked and when he is halfway in, halfway out, she squirts bleach at him.”

Mr Todd said that it was confirmed in custody reports that when Hamilton was arrested and taken to Darlington police station, his clothes were covered in bleach and he needed a shower to wash it off.

He also denied pouring bleach on his partner’s hair, but admitted putting his hand in a puddle on the floor and rubbing it into her scalp.

Magistrates sentenced Hamilton to 12-weeks in custody, suspended for 12 months, and imposed a 12-month community supervision order with 140 hours unpaid work.

He was also told to pay £250 compensation and £50 court costs.