Peter Maxwell, 21, came home drunk and started arguing with Amy Brown at her South Shields flat in April, South Tyneside Magistrates' Court heard.

Miss Brown, who was due to give birth to Maxwell's child six days later, was sitting on the couch while the pair argued.

Stan Sudworth, prosecuting, told the court how Miss Brown lashed out at him with her feet, but Maxwell grabbed her by the legs and pulled her off the couch to the floor.

The impact of the fall caused Miss Brown to feel a "sharp pain in her stomach".

Police arrived at the flat and told Maxwell to leave after Miss Brown called 999.

Maxwell packed his bags and left, only to return a short while later, the court heard.

But when the two officers returned to the flat and asked him to leave again, he punched one of them in Miss Brown's living room.

Mr Sudworth said: "During the struggle, Mr Maxwell got one of the Pcs in a headlock, and the other officer intervened, but Mr Maxwell resisted arrest.

"The officer who struggled with Mr Maxwell described having bad headaches after the assault."

Maxwell, formerly of South Shields but now of Warwick Court, Gateshead, originally pleaded not guilty, but yesterday admitted assaulting Miss Brown, assaulting a Pc and resisting arrest, minutes before his trial was due to begin.

Charles Weidner, defending, said Maxwell did not mean to harm Miss Brown.

He told magistrates: "No doubt your greatest concern is the assault on a heavily pregnant Miss Brown.

"But it was quite an emotional time for both of them."

Mr Weidner told the court how Miss Brown accepted that the assault was reckless, rather than intentional.