A man assaulted his girlfriend twice as they rowed over her arranged marriage.

Ghulam Ali, of Gramfield Road in Crosland Moor, pleaded guilty to two attacks.

Kirklees Magistrates’ Court heard that Ali was upset as his girlfriend’s father wanted her to go to Pakistan to marry her cousin.

The Huddersfield court was told that the assaults happened just days apart.

The first occurred on April 13 when Ali asked his girlfriend to meet him after they had separated.

They argued and as she tried to get out of the 24-year-old’s car he pulled her back by her hair.

On April 17 he assaulted his girlfriend again after meeting her near to her place of work in Birkby.

During another row he slapped her to the side of her face.

Marnat Ali, mitigating, said that the couple had been in a relationship for four years but the victim’s family hadn’t known about the relationship.

He said: “It’s a taboo relationship, they’re from a different caste. Her father wishes her to marry her cousin in Pakistan (and) when he became aware of the relationship he was against it.

“Matters came to a head due to family pressures placed upon this complainant to go to Pakistan. He loves her and doesn’t want her to go.”

He added that the victim was accompanied by her father to make a statement at the police station but wished to resume the relationship with Ali.

District Judge Michael Fanning ordered a full report before sentencing Ali on July 29.