A MAN accused of repeatedly punching his partner as she held her newborn baby claims he 'only slapped her' after she spat in his face.

Daniel Fitzsimons, of no fixed abode, is on trial charged with wounding with intent, an alternative count of unlawful wounding, cruelty to a child and affray over his actions on December 22.

As his defence got underway at Oxford Crown Court yesterday afternoon the 33-year-old, who denies all counts, took to the witness stand.

He said he had tried to wake up his partner, who was asleep on the sofa, to feed their seven-week-old son but that she had spat in his face. He admitted then slapping her twice 'across the face' which caused a nose bleed.

Fitzsimmons said he was not proud of his actions but asked: "What else was I supposed to do?"

ALSO READ: Man guilty of attempted murder after stabbing woman 15 times outside Co Op

He said she had been 'off' with him but would not say what was wrong. Explaining, the large quantity of blood found in the Oxford property, including on a baby grow, he said she had fell to the floor and hit her head which was 'gushing' with blood.

Under cross-examination by prosecutor Alexandra Bull, she detailed a history of violence against women, especially previous partners, dating back to 2008.

He said he was 'disgusted' by some of these actions but had changed.

In his police interview, Fitzsimons described the alleged victim as 'one of the best women I have ever had in my life' and that he 'worships the ground she walks on'. Asked in court whether that was still the case, he said 'definitely, of course'. Earlier in the trial jurors were told that the woman was on her sofa with her seven-week old baby when Fitzsimons approached her. The court heard Fitzsimons became ‘increasingly angry’ as a row ensued and he proceeded to ‘repeatedly’ strike her. But on Tuesday the alleged victim of the attack appeared to disavow her original complaint about the incident and was called a 'hostile witness.'