girlfriend's head against a traffic pole during a quarrel.

Jaymal Tucker, 25, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court to unlawfully assaulting the woman on July 30 outside a city nightclub, saying: "It had not been my intention. I let my emotions get the best of me.

"I had gone to town to get a lot of things off my head and saw things that I should not have seen.'' He spotted his girlfriend with someone else.

The woman reported the incident to Police the next morning, having gone to hospital complaining of pain in her right eye, prosecutor Sgt. Ken James said.

She suffered no cuts or broken bones.

"She said she had been slapped in the head by the defendant and as a result her head struck a standing traffic pole.'' Sgt. James said.

Tucker had been going out with the woman for two years and the couple had a history of quarrels, Sgt. James added.

Tucker claimed she had slapped him twice first.

He had resumed his relationship with the woman and she wanted to drop charges but Police would not let her, he added.

"It sounds to me like you are very highly strung,'' Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis commented. "It was fortunate for you that no real injury was caused. You look like you're strong and healthy. We can't have men like you going around slapping women. There are too many assaults going on.'' A stiff fine was warranted, he said, adding he would give Tucker the benefit of the doubt that he was provoked.