A man who beat his girlfriend during a drunken rage was spared jail because his victim had forgiven him.

Croydon Crown Court heard how Robert Elliot attacked 22-year-old Holly Halcombe at her mother's home in Nottingham Road, South Croydon, after a night out in a local pub.

Elliot was seen holding Miss Halcombe against a wall, kicking her, and a policewoman heard her mother shout, "He's going to kill her".

A doctor at Mayday Hospital noted 22 injuries on Miss Halcombe but she refused to give evidence against Elliot, who admitted causing actual bodily harm.

There were shouts of joy from the court's public gallery as Recorder Neil Saunders told Elliot, of Wingate Crescent, West Croydon, that he would not be going to prison.

But Mr Saunders warned the 25-year-old, whose previous convictions include wounding with intent, actual bodily harm and indecent assault: "You have come unbelievably close to years in prison.

"If you ever come back to this court, and if you ever touch this young lady again, there will be no option whatever.

"You behaved in a dreadful way. You appeared to have stamped on her with all your strength. How you didn't inflict more serious injury I simply don't know."

Elliott was given a community order with two years supervision.