THE north Kent chief of the Monster Raving Loony Party has spoken of his battle with depression after appearing in court for hitting his partner.

Appearing before Dartford magistrates last week, Lord Toby Jug - whose real name is Brian Borthwick - pleaded guilty to common assault.

The court heard how the 40-year-old had hit his partner, Julie Diana Smith, on the arm at their home in Highview, Vigo, on August 14.

Speaking after his appearance, he told News Shopper he cannot condone what he did to Miss Smith - the woman who "turned his life around".

The father-of-one says he has battled mood swings for many years following a troubled childhood and was diagnosed with manic depression three years ago and prescribed a variety of medication.

Two days before the incident, he began taking a different tranquilizer which he says made him "aggressive and hyperactive".

He and Miss Smith had been arguing and she said "a few things I did not agree with".

Miss Smith called the police after he hit her a couple of times on the arm.

Police took him to Gravesend police station, where he spent the night.

The couple's 20-month-old son was not in the house at the time.

Borthwick, who pledged to slap half of the county's grey squirrel population with red paint to boost the indigenous red population in Kent County Council (KCC) elections last year, says he has apologised to Miss Smith and the pair are set to reconcile.

He added it has been difficult to tell people about his depression because he is a member of the Monster Raving Loony Party.

He said: "There is no way I would condone what I have done.

"Since I have got with Julie she has helped me and turned my life around.

"I am still on medication but I have been given a different type on a stronger dose.

"There is a stigma about mental illness and I believe more people should come out and talk about it.

"You can have a normal life and there is hope for everyone. You can still go out and entertain."

Borthwick stood for the Gravesham rural seat in KCC elections and stood in ex-Conservative leader Michael Howard's Folkestone and Hythe seat in last year's General Election.

Along with the party's shadow minister for mental health, Wild Willi Beckett, he has also campaigned to re-introduce a weekly medical clinic for the people of Vigo.

Following his appearance in court the deputy leader of the party, Boney Maroney, says she has asked for Borthwick to send in his resignation and take time out from his duties.

She said: "We don't want to dismiss him at this time but he needs time to himself and we will see what happens."

Borthwick, who is the party's press officer and works as a musician, is due back in court on September 21 following the completion of pre-sentence reports.

Attempts to contact Miss Smith were unsuccessful.