Bradford’s top judge pledged that the city’s courts will deal robustly with domestic violence when he locked up a man for throttling and slapping his wife in their home.

Juris Berzins was jailed for eight months for the attack in which he poured pans of cold water over his wife Natalya and bruised her face and neck in an attack at their Lincolnshire home.

Berzins, a 53-year-old Russian, admitted causing her actual bodily harm and jumping court bail after his arrest in August, 2011.

He was then tried for allegedly punching a female neighbour in the face at his flat in Bolingbroke Court, Elsdon Grove, Bradford, in December last year.

A jury at Bradford Crown Court cleared him yesterday of unlawfully and maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm on Maryana Strzelczyk.

Miss Strzelczyk said Berzins smashed her so hard in the face with his fist that her shattered nasal bone almost pierced her brain.

Berzins told the jury she was uninjured when he escorted her from the flat after she made inappropriate comments.

He was held in custody after the Bradford assault allegation and had been in the UK for about four years, the court heard.

He had served long jail sentences in Russia and his criminal record there included offences of hooliganism, resisting a figure in authority, illegal departure of a vehicle, aggravated extortion, drink-driving and robbery.

Learning that the drink-driving offence attracted a five-year prison stretch, the Recorder of Bradford, Judge Roger Thomas QC, remarked: “I can see why he chose to come here.”

Prosecutor Richard Smith said Berzins and his wife had been drinking and were arguing over money when he attacked her at their flat in Boston, Lincolnshire.

She was treated in hospital but discharged herself after the assault.

Judge Thomas jailed Berzins for a total of nine months. A month was added for the bail act offence.

He told Berzins: “It was a nasty assault in a domestic setting. My experience of these courts is that violence of this type results in more severe punishment than other forms of violence.”

Judge Thomas made a restraining order banning Berzins from having any contact with Miss Strzelczyk for 12 months.

They live in the same block of flats and the judge thought it would be of benefit to both of them.