An Aberaeron man broke his girlfriend’s nose in a drunken attack, magistrates have heard.

David James Bowen, 31, who admitted attacking Naomi Mathias in August 2019, told police that he accepted what Ms Mathias said, but couldn’t remember the incident.

His solicitor Katy Hanson said Bowen felt the incident was “the worst mistake of my life”.

Bowen, of Varney, Bryn Road, pleaded guilty to causing Ms Mathias actual bodily harm during the incident on 10 August.

Prosecutor Rhian Jones said Bowen and Ms Mathias had been out in Aberaeron and had a couple of drinks before Ms Mathias returned home. She phoned Bowen at 8pm, when he’d said he would return, but he became abusive.

He went home at 9pm, but as Ms Mathias was out, he had to be let in by a lodger. When Ms Mathias returned home he became abusive toward her again, complaining that his friends were still out, but that he “always have to come home early”.

Bowen then told Ms Mathias that they should split up and she should leave, and when she went upstairs to pack her belongings, he followed and tried to throw a fan at her.

Bowen grabbed Ms Mathias and pushed her into a cabinet. She fell to the floor and Bowen punched her twice to the face, breaking her nose.

Ms Mathias had to attend Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen for treatment to her nose, and she also suffered bruises and cuts.

Ms Hanson said that in an interview Bowen had been remorseful and upset about what he had done.

She said: “This is something he deeply regrets. He’s extremely ashamed by his behaviour.”

She said that Bowen had since stopped drinking and using drugs.

Presiding magistrate Lynda Stubbs said: “This was a nasty incident. You yourself have said you can’t remember it, so it could have been worse.”

Bowen was released on conditional bail until a hearing on 12 February.