A MAN who tormented his former partner with threats of violence and intimidation has been jailed after smashing his way into her home, covering their young child in broken glass.

Paul Hodgson's campaign of terror started after he was unable to deal with the split from his long-term partner.

The 26-year-old, pictured below, also drove his van at speed towards a Redcar pub after he was thrown out by door staff for attacking one of his former partner's friends.

The Northern Echo:

Judge Deborah Sherwin told Hodgson that his behaviour was completely unacceptable and must have been terrifying for his victim as she jailed him for a total of 52 months at Teesside Crown Court.

She said: "It is quite clear that during this period of time you subjected her and others to violence, threats of violence and a particularly unpleasant threat, which would cause her a great deal of distress."

The court heard how Hodgson used a metal bar to smash his way into his former home before making threats towards his former partner.

Emma Atkinson, prosecuting, said when police arrived at his mother's address to arrest him, the defendant picked up a chainsaw and attempted to fire up before being wrestled to the ground.

She said that while he was in the back of the police van he used a craft knife to cut open the leg restraints officers had placed on him.

Miss Atkinson said the catalogue of incidents started over a row about buying cigarettes when Hodgson smashed up the house when his-then partner refused to hand over the bank card.

His behaviour became more obsessive with him regularly accusing the victim of cheating on him and on January 25 he followed her to Martha's Vineyard in Redcar.

She said: "He was threatening to drive his van into the pub saying he had nothing to lose. The deputy manager was warned that the defendant was going to drive into the pub and told her to get out of the way.

"He pub the van into reverse and sped towards the pub before breaking at the last minute."

Hodgson, of Gladstone Street, Carlin How, near Saltburn, pleaded guilty to seven charges including affray, assault on a police officer, possession of a pointed article and putting a person in fear of violence.

John Nixon, mitigating, his client had struggled with the breakdown of his relationship and reacted badly.