A MAN held a meat cleaver to his terrified partner’s face and threatened to take her hostage, a court heard.

The victim’s horrific ordeal had begun after Dean Wallbank and Katie McColl began arguing while staying overnight at a friend’s house on June 13 after a night out.

He hit her in the face and punched her in the head before she fled and hid behind a nearby bin, but Wallbank found her and dragged her back, Liverpool Crown Court was told.

He also rang the police giving a false name and address saying he had assaulted his girlfriend and they had 10 minutes to arrive before was going to kill her.

Officers arrived at the premises in Common Lane, Tyldesley, and could hear a woman screaming, “get him off me, I’m going to die”.

Police found the couple in the kitchen with Wallbank pinning her between his legs with his left arm around her neck and with a meat cleaver in his other hand.

He held this to the side of her face and said, “back off, I’m taking her hostage”.

The police persuaded him to put the weapon down and then detained him.

Wallbank, aged 26, of Shakerley Road, Tyldesley, pleaded guilty to making threats to kill.

Charges of false imprisonment and assault causing actual bodily harm were dropped.

He was sentenced to 16 months in jail suspended for two years and placed under supervision for two years.

He was ordered to attend a probation-run domestic violence programme and the judge imposed a three-month electronically monitored curfew.