SHOCKED police officers called in social services when Jane Kendall told them it was her partner s duty to kill her. But by the time her partner Alan Hayes appeared in court 18 days later, social services still had not visited the couple, he claimed. It

SHOCKED police officers called in social services when Jane Kendall told them it was her partner's duty to kill her.

But by the time her partner Alan Hayes appeared in court 18 days later, social services still had not visited the couple, he claimed.

"It is no fun when your partner, who you care about asks you to kill them," he told Fenland magistrates on Wednesday

Hayes, 56, of Kingfisher Drive, Wisbech, had admitted assaulting Ms Kendall on June 3.

Ms Kendall had suffered from depression since her mother died three years ago, said prosecutor Laura Mardell, and the couple's relationship was strained.

On June 3 they argued about the positioning of a chair, and Hayes hit Ms Kendall in the eye.

Hayes told the court how he dialled 999 on June 9 when his partner was aggressive, but the police were unable to attend immediately because they were dealing with another incident.

Officers visited the couple two hours later, and Ms Kendall told them it was her partner's duty to kill her.

"They were probably shocked by that," said Hayes. "They said social services would come round on Saturday night or Sunday morning, that was on June 9 and still no one has come round."

Presiding magistrate Alan Jones told Hayes he should go and "knock on some doors".

"It is apparent to us that there are issues in your domestic situation that need to be addressed; not only by you, but social services intervention would be useful."

Hayes was given a 24-month community order for the assault, and told to attend a domestic abuse programme and pay £35 costs.