A MAN who went on the run after attacking his girlfriend while her children were in the house avoided jail.

Drew Morris, of Sherwood Close, Langdon Hills, sparked a three dayman-hunt following the attack in November last year.

He was originally wanted on suspicion of attempted murder, but was charged with actual bodily harm after turning himself in at Basildon police station.

Morris, 24, received an eightmonth prison sentence suspended for 18 months when he appeared at Basildon Crown Court yesterday.

Sentencing Morris, Judge John Lodge, said: “This was an assault on your partner.

“I appreciate having had the opportunity of hearing the background material there may have been an element of provocation.

“The reality is,to stop this happening again you need to do some work to address underlying issues of violence.”

Morris admitted one count of actual bodily harm at an earlier hearing.

The court heard Morris was at the victim’s home in Leigh Chapel, Basildon with her and her children.

Morris told the victim he wanted to break up with her.

She asked him why and he went upstairs followed by the victim.

The court heard he grabbed her arms and pushed her over before dragging her across the room.

She tried to get up a number of times, but he pushed her onto the bed.

He put his hands round her throat and pushed her over again.

She left the property.

The court heard that the attack happened while the victim’s young children were in the house.

The prosecution accepted the victim provoked Morris during the assault.

In addition to the suspended sentence Morris has been ordered to pay a victim surcharge.