A vicious yob carried out violent attacks on his partner who he tormented during the course of a seven-month relationship.

Joseph Rudd, of Leigh Road, Leigh, told his former girlfriend he would kill all of her family and placed her toe inside plyers and said he had tortured people before

Bolton Crown Court heard the relationship began in May last year but during drunken incidents he would carry out acts of violence.

Shirley Duckworth, prosecuting, said: “It became a toxic relationship, he wanted her to spend time only with him.

“She says she was in fear for her life.

She said that on one occasion he “came to bed carrying pliers.”

“He told her to put her foot in them.

“He said he had tortured people before.”

But he withdrew from acting any further and the woman said she did not know if he “saw sense or if he got a kick out of seeing her in so much fear".

Read more: Bolton: Married man tried to meet '12-year-old girl' at retail park

Read more: Bolton: Banned driver crashed after Chorley New Road chase

Read more: Plea date for Wanderers star Kyle Dempsey and dad over alleged assault

In August last year he threatened violence against her son.

The following month he slapped her in a car while they were driving.

In October he took her car and her phone without permission when she needed the vehicle for a job interview the following day.

The same month he told her he would punch her four-year-old son and hit her five times on the head while she was in bed.

He also said he would “kill all her family” and “ruin every area of her life” before spitting on her face.

When police arrived to detain him they found he had thrown a brick through the windows.

He was finally arrested when a colleague noticed a lump on her head and she agreed to report it to the police.

When officers arrived to arrested him they found he had thrown a brick through the window.

Rudd, 37, appeared in court to be sentenced after admitting controlling and coercive behaviour, two counts of assault be beating, criminal damage and taking a vehicle without consent.

He also admitted a common assault on the victim’s son.

Paul Treble, defending, said it was “nasty and mean offending.”

He said Rudd had little memory of it as he was under the influence of alcohol at the time but said he was “ashamed, upset and embarrassed at the harm he has caused.”

He said he had engaged well with alcoholics anonymous while remanded in custody and the organisers of the programme were prepared to make him a mentor in the future.

Judge Nicholas Clarke KC said: “You need to understand the way in which you behave over this period from May to October was completely outrageous and inappropriate.

“You showed no sympathy to your victim.”

He jailed Rudd for two years and eight months.