A Palmerton man admitted assaulting his girlfriend and was given a county prison term.

Clifford Jay Diefenderfer, 40, pleaded guilty to one count of simple assault before Judge Steven R. Serfass on Monday for an incident on Nov. 9, 2016.Palmerton police responded to the 500 block ofFranklin Avenue, for a domestic assault. On scene officers learned that Diefenderfer had punched his girlfriendin the face several times. Police noted obvious injuries to her face.Serfass rejected a request to sentence Diefenderfer, who has been in the county prison since the incident, to a time-served sentence. Serfass noted that in September 2016 Diefenderfer was sentenced for a similar incident involving the victim. Serfass said he had to consider the gravity of the crime and that fact that the defendant committed the crime while on supervision for a similar incident a few months prior.Diefenderfer told the court, "I didn't realize the problem I had. I thought I could handle it." He had admitted to an alcohol abuse problem, adding, "I want to get help."Serfass sentenced him to serve six to one day less 24 months in prison and ordered he get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendations of treatment, zero tolerance for drug and alcohol use, pay court costs of about $1,000 and pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole.He was given credit for 76 days spent in jail on the charge. It was also noted he has a pending probation violation proceeding for the prior incident.