A TV actor has been jailed for breaching a probation order imposed after he attacked his heavily-pregnant girlfriend.

Craig Fitzpatrick, who starred in Waterloo Road and Shameless , was jailed for six months at Manchester Magistrates' Court.

On his 22nd birthday, Fitzpatrick had to be restrained as he struggled with security officers after being sentenced.

He had admitted twice failing to attend meetings with probation officers in Withington on June 30 and August 28.

The unemployed actor was given a six-month custodial sentence suspended for two years when he appeared before Tameside magistrates on June 9.

He was also given a two-year supervision order and was ordered to attend a domestic abuse programme for attacking his girlfriend Julie Owens, who was eight months' pregnant.

Ms Owens, with whom Fitzpatrick has two children, said in a victim impact statement read to a previous court: "I can't believe Craig has assaulted me again.

"We've just been to court for him assaulting me and he's made me feel scared for our unborn child.

"I shouldn't have to live with this fear."

He was also ordered to pay her £300 compensation.

Fitzpatrick, of Moat Gardens, Wythenshawe, slapped her several times then fled before returning to their flat in Audenshaw a few hours later, beating her on the head with her shoe and threatening to punch her in the stomach.

Fitzpatrick, who played bad boy Louis Seddon in Waterloo Road, was also given a three-month jail sentence suspended for two years after an earlier attack.

And he received a conditional discharge from the courts for going equipped to steal in Blackpool.

He was hauled back to court yesterday for failing to attend two meetings with probation workers as part of his sentence.

Sentencing Fitzpatrick, chairman of the bench Michael Enderby said: "You would have known when this suspended prison sentence was imposed that it was your lifeline, your opportunity not to go to prison.

"You have chosen to ignore that. We choose now to impose that six months in prison."

Fitzpatrick then had to be restrained by two security officers. He was eventually forced down to the cells.

Earlier, Julie Brownjohn, for the Probation Service, said after failing to keep appointments, Fitzpatrick had kept four appointments with probation workers.

She said he had `plenty of work to do', particularly with the domestic abuse programme he was attending.

She said the Probation Service was willing to offer extra appointments with the domestic abuse programme.

Steve Higgins, defending, admitted it was his client's `error' not to make the June appointment. He said a letter informing probation he could not make the August meeting, because he was attending an event organised by his drama teacher, didn't arrive in time.