A SETTLE man smashed his girlfriend's face into a tiled floor during an argument at his home, heard Skipton magistrates.

William Stanwick, 23, grabbed Shannon Moorehead by the hair and smashed her face against the tiled floor, three or four times at his home in Longdale Avenue, the court heard.

The assault, on May 22, had started with an argument about another woman and had also included Stanwick attempting to choke his then girlfriend, brandishing a broken guitar over her head and dragging her across the floor, causing a carpet burn, the court was told.

Prosecutor, Martin Butterworth told the court that the couple - who the court heard were no longer together - had been in a relationship since May, 2014, and both lived in the Settle area.

There had been three separate incidents reported by Miss Moorehead, including the one at Stanwick's home, and another during the New Year holiday when the couple had been climbing Penyghent.

On that occasion, Miss Moorehead had stated that Stanwick had lost his temper and pushed her against a wall, but had stopped when other people had appeared.

Mr Butterworth said the assault at Stanwick's home had been the most serious in that in had been sustained, that it had been in a domestic context and that Stanwick had used the tiled floor as a weapon.

Stanwick, of Longdale Avenue, admitted three counts of assault by beating, between December 27 last year and January 5 at Penyghent; between March 1 and April 4 at Kirkgate, Settle; and on May 22 at Longdale Avenue, Settle.

In mitigation, John Mewies, said he would be saying more at the sentencing hearing in a couple of weeks time, but that there were two sides to every story.

He said Stanwick came from a well respected family in Settle, had never been in trouble before and currently ran the family business.

He added that the relationship between Stanwick and Miss Moorhead was now at an end. He is due to be sentenced at the Skipton court on July 21 after reports.