A MAN who attacked his former partner by kicking her to the head during a street attack in Musselburgh has been told by a sheriff to "grow up”.

Steven Hillhouse assaulted the woman by pushing her to the ground and kicking her to the head and body outside the town’s Horseshoe Tavern on September 18 last year.

The attack on the defenceless woman was witnessed by a couple who were passing by in their car at about 1.30am.

The pair saw the woman “curled up” on the ground as 31-year-old Hillhouse rained blows down on her; she was later described as “inconsolable”.

The victim was taken to hospital but, after initially saying she did not want to report the matter, she changed her mind and admitted that Hillhouse had been the man who assaulted her.

Hillhouse appeared from custody at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month, where he admitted the attack, and he was released on bail pending the preparation of social work reports.

The 31-year-old returned to the Capital court last Thursday for sentencing, where Sheriff Frank Crowe also told him: “You’re a lucky boy you're not going to jail.”

And while speaking to Hillhouse's solicitor Mary Moultrie about her client, the sheriff said: “He’s 31 now, I think it’s time he grew up.”

Hillhouse was placed on supervision for the next 18 months and ordered to attend sessions with the domestic abuse organisation Caledonian Men's Programme.

Sheriff Crowe also told Hillhouse, currently of Newbigging, Musselburgh, that he must pay the woman a total of £1,000 in compensation.

Lawyer Ms Moultrie had asked the court not to sentence her client to wear an electronic tag as that would “impact on his employment” as a painter and decorator.

Ms Moultrie also said that Hillhouse had spent 55 days on remand and that he had “no intention” of making contact with the woman and their relationship was over.

Previously, the court was told that two unnamed witnesses were driving near to the Horseshoe Tavern when they spotted Hillhouse kicking the woman “multiple times” at about 1.30am on September 18 last year.

The two witnesses pulled over and shouted at Hillhouse, who was said to have told the pair “to mind their own business”.

The police were alerted to the assault and, when they attended shortly afterwards, the victim was still present, though Hillhouse had fled the area.

The court heard that the woman had suffered several injuries, including “swelling to the right side of her head” and “bruising to both eyes”.

She was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment, where she was said to be “reluctant to engage” with police and initially told them she had suffered the injuries by “falling down stairs”.

But she later changed her versions of events and admitted that she had been “battered by my ex” [Hillhouse].

Hillhouse pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman by repeatedly kicking her to the head and body to her injury at Inveresk Road, Musselburgh, on September 18 last year.