A MAN who left his former partner fearing for her life before going on to violently attack an officer in a police station has been jailed for 40 months.

Andrew Graham launched a terrifying campaign of abuse against his former partner just weeks after a two-year restraining order had ended.

He threatened to kill her, attack her new partner as well as threatening violence against the woman’s work colleagues during a series of sinister telephone calls.

And as he was being charged with harassing the mother of his youngest daughter, he launched a brutal attack on a police officer, raining down ‘hammer’ blows and leaving the PC battered and bruised.

Harry Hadfield, prosecuting, said Graham phoned his former partner’s company and said: “Tell the f***ing bitch I’m going to kill her, I’m going to stab her.”

The court heard that Graham had a previous conviction for domestic abuse and a restraining order protecting his former partner.

Mr Hadfield said the woman was now terrified that Graham would carry out his vile threats and was scared for the safety of their daughter and her family.

In a victim impact statement read out to the court by Mr Hadfield, the woman said she 'fears that some day he make take her life, that of her partner and off her daughter'.

He added: "The defendant likes the fact that she is living in fear and likes the fact that he still has control over her in that way. she just wants to move on with her life."

Dealing with the attack on police officer, Mr Hadfield said as Graham was told that he was being charged and to be kept in custody, his demeanour changed.

"He said the the officer 'You're having a f***ing laugh mate' and then headbutted a pillar in the custody suite before starting to punch the police officer," Mr Hadfield added.

The initial blows left the officer 'dazed' and he took a step back to protect himself before Graham continued his attack.

He said: "The defendant was on top of him, punching him to the ear and neck. The defendant pursued the officer down the corridor attempting to punch him with both hands."

CCTV footage showed several of the officer's colleagues run down the corridor to intervene and arrest Graham.

Teesside Crown Court heard that the defendant’s brutal attack on the officer left him needing four stitches to a head wound.

In a victim impact statement, the officer said he was left worried about working on his own as a result of the attack.

The 36-year-old, of Kennedy Gardens, Billingham, pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm (GBH) against the police officer and harassment and misuse of communications in relation to his former partner.

His barrister, John Turner, said his client was 'genuinely' sorry for what he had done and urged the judge to give him a suspended sentence as he had adhered to one previously.

"He accepts that he just lost it," the barrister added. "When he was told his bail was being withheld he just lost his temper."

  • Former Durham police officer's hugs and kisses were 'reciprocated' - court hears

Judge Jonathan Carroll jailed Graham for 22 months for the GBH and a consecutive 18 months for the harassment. He was also given a four month concurrent sentence for the abusive phone calls and an indefinite restraining order to protect his former partner.

The judge said the barrage of messages were designed to instil fear in the victim's life and that was exactly what had happened.

He added: "She has a real ongoing concern that one day you will lose control and carry out those threats."

Speaking after the hearing, Assistant Chief Constable of Cleveland Police, Steve Graham, said: “I welcome the sentence; it demonstrates that both police and the courts take an extremely dim view of anyone who assaults and injures a police officer whilst doing their job.”