Two pedestrians heard a woman screaming and contacted police, who found her in the street bleeding and bruised.
Drunken Steven King had shared a litre bottle of vodka with his partner prior to the offence at his Overhaugh Street home in Galashiels on Friday.
The 44-year-old appeared from custody at Selkirk Sheriff Court, pictured, on Monday and admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards his partner, struggling and fighting with her.
Prosecutor Tessa Bradley told how the couple had resumed their relationship in recent weeks after a period of separation.
She said they began drinking at 11am and throughout the day consumed a litre bottle of vodka.
When the woman became upset over a recent bereavement, King tried to console her.
Ms Bradley went on: “She wanted to be left alone, but he persisted and kept trying to cuddle her, telling her to calm down. There was a physical altercation, in the course of which she sustained a bang to the head.
“Two people walking nearby could hear a female screaming, as if pleading for help, and were sufficiently concerned to call the police.”
Officers found the woman in Overhaugh Street with a scratch to her arm, cut to her head, blood on her face and a bruise to the neck.
“An ambulance was called and she was treated in the back,” explained Ms Bradley.
The woman told police there had been a tussle between the couple, adding: “He is just a bully”.
Defence solicitor Ed Hulme said: “The relationship becomes volatile when alcohol has been consumed.
“An argument escalated because they wanted to watch different things on the TV,” he added.
Mr Hulme said his client had moved to Galashiels four months ago to work on the new railway line.
Sheriff Jamie Gilmour sentenced King to a three-month community payback order, with 60 hours of unpaid work.