A FATHER snatched his baby after assaulting his pregnant partner, a court heard.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, struggled to keep his balance after striding out into the ice-covered streets with his tot.

But he eventually handed over the seven-month-old after being challenged by police outside a pub.

The man admitted charges of assault and being drunk in charge of a child.

The Huddersfield court heard that the incident happened on January 20, when the town was gripped by snow and freezing temperatures.

At the time the 27-year-old was living with his partner in the Dalton area.

James Weekes, prosecuting, described their relationship as “rocky” and said that the man had problems with drinking when he would become aggressive and jealous.

The prosecutor added that he had issues with the fact that his partner still had contact with the father of her daughter and would check through her phone.

On the day of the assault the ex dropped off her daughter at the house.

Mr Weekes said: “The defendant had a go about her previous partner, he accused her of being in love with him.

“He got on the phone and said that he was going out.

“She told him that if he was going to get drunk he shouldn’t bother coming home.”

However the defendant returned to the house at 11.30pm and was let in by his partner, District Judge Hamilton was told.

He followed her upstairs where she was sat on the bed of her sleeping daughter.

Mr Weekes said: “He grabbed his partner’s legs and pulled her out of the bedroom.

“Her pyjamas came open when he grabbed her.”

The defendant was described as having drunk around six pints prior to this, but claimed that he was still in control of his actions.

He then took his son out of the house because he feared that his partner would stop him from having access to the child.

Mr Weekes said: “He put the child in his snow suit, grabbed some bottles and nappies and left.”

The mother of the child called police who found the defendant near to the Stag Inn on Wakefield Road.

Mr Weekes said: “He appeared very unsteady on his feet.

“The temperature was negative degrees and the child’s head was uncovered.

“He refused to hand the child over and there was a brief scuffle before he did.”

Peter Hampson, mitigating, described the incident as a domestic argument that had got out of hand.

He said: “He admits that he had been drinking and that can be the cause of the problems.

“But he doesn’t believe that he was unfit to look after him (his son).”

Mr Hampson added that his client initially refused to hand over his baby because he was first approached by plain clothed officers.

He said that when uniformed officers arrived he did hand the child to them.

Judge Hamilton described the circumstances as “unfortunate” and told the defendant that he failed to have a grasp of the level of his alcohol consumption.

She added: “I don’t think you understand alcohol and what it can do to your rational thinking.

“I think you drank enough to make some very poor decisions.”

Judge Hamilton sentenced him to a community order for 12 months, with supervision and a medium level activity requirement.

She also ordered him to pay £85 costs and £60 victim surcharge.