A LOUT who now has convictions for attacking three different girlfriends has walked free from court.

Anthony Milburn's latest two victims were in short relationships with the 23-year-old over the last year.

In March last year, the bullying boyfriend was given a conditional discharge for assaulting his then-partner.

At Teesside Crown Court on Tuesday (September 9), Milburn was sentenced for five more assaults between last October and February.

He was given an 18-month community order with supervision, and put on a 'building better relationships' course.

The court heard how he repeatedly punched and pulled the hair of his two girlfriends during drunken arguments.

Prosecutor Richard Herrmann said the relationships were "characterised by aggression, violence and control".

Carl Swift, mitigating, said: "The reality is that Mr Milburn was increasingly out of control with drink."

Milburn, whose victims were from Darlington, admitted five charges of common assault at an earlier court hearing.

Judge George Moorhouse told him: "You can't go leading your life like that – putting people in fear.

"I can assure you, if you come back before these courts, there will be only one place you'll be going to go.

"These offences were committed, generally, when you were in drink... you obviously need some help."

Milburn, who has moved from Darlington to Ashington, in Northumberland, was also given restraining orders banning him from going within 100 yards of his victims.

The judge told him: "It seems to me that, when you are in drink, you cannot control your emotions.

"You hit these women, generally, on the back of the head, and caused them to be extremely frightened."