A JEALOUS man who used his his terrified girlfriend as a "punchbag" in a string of vicious attacks has been locked up for 26 months.

Barry Marsh did not like his partner seeing family or friends and he constantly accused her of looking at other men before beating her up in her Kingswinford flat.

The 42-year-old father of five punched her hard on the nose in one attack causing a "massive" bleed and then told her, "Cover yourself up. You're a disgrace."

Then days later he punched her again on the head and grabbed her round the throat with both hands leaving her petrified and convinced she was going to die.

She was "frozen in fear," said Judge Barry Berlin who ruled Marsh had subjected her to a catalogue of "jealous, violent and abusive" behaviour which had affected her badly.

The judge said she was struck by Marsh two or three times a week leaving her with extremely low esteem and on the

one occasion he had produced an imitation firearm which he pressed into her neck and pushed into her mouth.

He said Marsh had used her as a punchbag leaving her in a state of fear and he further made him the subject of a ten year restraining order forbidding him from having any contact with the victim or going to her home.

Marsh, of Russells Hall Road, Dudley, admitted using controlling behaviour in a relationship, his barrister, Simon Hanns said his client was full of remorse for his actions.

Mr Hanns told Wolverhampton Crown Court it was the first time Marsh, who had 24 previous convictions for offences including grievous bodily harm, wounding, assault and possessing an offensive weapon had been violent towards a woman.

The pair, he went on, had been in a toxic relationship and a lot of the violence came after they had both been drinking heavily.

Marsh, said Mr Hanns, now knew there was no future in the relationship and he had made it clear he would never seek to contact her again in the future.

Cathlyn Orchard, prosecuting, said that after punching the woman on another occasion Marsh had told her "Look what you have made me do. I will kill you."

The woman had not seen the imitation firearm before it was produced by Marsh and it came at a time when she just did not know what he was capable of doing.

After striking her in a public house Marsh punched her again to the jaw causing bruising before kicking her out of his van.

When told the relationship was over he told her: "I will kill you. I will knock your teeth out I will stamp on your neck."

After his arrest he told police officers it had been his partner who had been aggressive and he described her as "untrustworthy."