A VIOLENT thug who launched a drunken attack on his partner when he flew into a jealous rage before branding her a ‘grass’ has been ordered to stay away from her.

David Ward slapped the woman several times across the face before destroying her home as he smashed almost every window in the property and attempted to flood the kitchen.

The 32-year-old fled the scene but began bombarding his victim with vile and abuse messages on Facebook.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the defendant had been remanded in custody since his arrest following the attack on March 20 this year.

Daniel Penman, prosecuting, said Ward became aggressive after the pair returned home following a night out and he accused her of seeing other people and flirting with the taxi driver.

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The violence erupted after the pair went upstairs when Ward pushed her to the floor before slapping her five times across the face.

Mr Penman said: “Once in the kitchen he started smashing it up telling her not to come downstairs or he would make it worse. He was kicking at doors, punching walls, and throwing items out of cupboards.”

The victim managed to escape the house after he grabbed two screwdrivers and threatened to stab her in the neck.

Mr Penman said when she returned later that day she discovered her home had been trashed, the defendant had poured cooking oil on the sofa, throwing a bike through the window and writing ‘grass and s**g’ on the walls.

The defendant then sent several intimidating messages branding her ‘clever ***’ and warning her that she would suffer if he was jailed for the offending.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said she feared for her life and didn’t know what Ward was capable of and believed he would kill her.

Ward, of Chetwynd Court, The Avenue, Stockton, pleaded guilty to criminal damage, common assault, and witness intimidation.

Andrew Turton, in mitigation, said: “He accepts his conduct on this occasion was absolutely deplorable and he is ashamed of that behaviour and remorseful for it.”

Judge Timothy Stead accepted that Ward had spent three months on remand – the equivalent of a six-month prison sentence.

He said: “You have a significant record of offending which reveals a propensity to drunkenness, public order offending, and frankly, general lawlessness.”

Ward was given a 12-month sentence suspended for two years, ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and attend 35 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

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