A jealous husband beat up his solicitor wife after accusing her of having an affair with her work.

Richard Hawkins flew into a rage in front of one of their two young children, knocking his wife Caroline to the floor and punching and kicking her.

Now, the 43-year-old father, is serving a 12-month jail sentence after Judge Charles Macdonald QC told him “ugly, bullying attacks like this have to be deterred”.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the couple had been together for 22 years and married for 18 years when the violence erupted.

Mrs Hawkins, known as CJ, worked full-time while her husband stayed at home to look after their children, aged 12 and seven.

Jo Cope, prosecuting, said they had not been getting on too well and Mrs Hawkins wanted a separation. During an argument on October 30 last year, Hawkins accused his wife of having an affair. “She denied it,” said Mrs Cope. “He said he meant an affair with her work.

“She was sitting in the kitchen and he suddenly attacked her. He pushed or punched her and she fell to the floor. He punched and kicked her all over her body.”

Hawkins told his wife: “I am going to make sure no one else wants to look at you.”

As she began to crawl away, he told her she might as well go.

But her ordeal did not end, as he continued to attack her. She suffered a semi-collapsed lung, fractures to her teeth and swelling and bruising to her face and body. Hawkins also ripped apart one of his wife’s £180 suits.

Mrs Hawkins was kept in hospital for six days. It was not until Christmas that she was able to breathe normally and stop taking painkillers. She did not return to work until January.

Hawkins told police he lost control. He said he was so angry he struck her and could not stop. Their son, aged seven, was knocked off a stool during the attack.

He added his wife had been on anti-depressants and told him she did not love him any more.

Hawkins, of Lower Rainham Road, Gillingham, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and criminal damage.