sentenced to three months in prison yesterday.

Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis handed down the sentence after Gilbert T. Osborne of Tribe Road 2 pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm and wilful destruction of the woman's clothing.

Police Insp. Peter Duffy, prosecuting, said the incident occurred on April 28 after Osborne, 35, had met his girlfriend, 31, at her Hamilton office and then walked with her around town.

"Later that evening, Osborne made several calls asking to see her,'' Insp.

Duffy said. "She refused and later took her two children -- the youngest fathered by Osborne -- to a neighbour before going to socialise at a sports club.

"When she returned from the club at 2.15 a.m., Osborne was hiding outside. As she entered her home, he forced his way inside.'' Insp. Duffy said that once inside Osborne began slapping and punching the woman. He asked her if she had had sex with another man.

Insp. Duffy said that during the beating the woman fell and struck her back on a bureau, suffering bruising and lacerations.

He said that later, when the woman was sleeping, Osborne entered her closet and ripped and destroyed pieces of her clothing valued at $840.

Mr. Francis said: "This was a really nasty attack. On top of that there was the further malicious attack on the woman's clothing. All I can see is that this was a frightful experience for her.''