A man who bullied and abused his partner for years has been jailed.
Paul Denton subjected his partner to years of violence and intimidation.
The 58-year-old hit the woman so hard on the back of the head that it caused her an eye injury, Teesside Crown Court heard.
Prosecutor Shaun Dodds said the woman repeatedly feared Denton would attack her while they lived in County Durham.
He said Denton once struck her on the head, leaving her with eye problems that needed specialist treatment.
“On repeated occasions, the defendant grabbed her by the throat and choked her,” he said.
“She told police that she had lost count of the times he was physical towards her by grabbing, pushing or pulling her.
“The defendant would slap her and on one Christmas he threw a plate at her.”
Denton, now living in Stepnall Heights, Newark, admitted controlling and coercive behaviour, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault on the day his trial was due to begin.
His barrister, Chris Baker, said Denton had no previous convictions and worked full-time.
He said: “It is accepted these offences were committed over a significant period of time.”
Recorder Dafydd Enoch KC jailed Denton for two years and six months for his bullying behaviour.
“You subjected this lady to years of emotional and physical abuse,” he said. “You were a bully and nobody likes a bullying, especially when they take advantage of somebody who is vulnerable.
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“You throttled her on several occasions, you would brandish knives in order to scare her, you punched her, you put a bin liner over her head, you threatened to kill her.
“These were all examples of the behaviour you engaged in over a very extended period.
“That behaviour is unacceptable.”
Denton was also given a lifelong restraining order to protect the woman.
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