A CONTROLLING man who beat up his girlfriend, threatened to set light to her hair and held a knife against her throat has been jailed.

Andover man Thomas Williams, 24, subjected the woman to three months of controlling behaviour and physical abuse which left her feeling like she had no life and isolated from friends.

While living in Winchester, between August and November 2019, he headbutted her in the nose causing “pain and swelling”, shoved her against the wall and hurled items at her including a lighter and a television remote.

He also bit her arm – piercing her skin, held a kitchen knife to her throat and smashed her phone against his head, Winchester Crown Court was told on Tuesday.

Prosecutor Kassia Pletscher said that on one occasion he “attempted to burn her hair with a lighter saying ‘if we aren’t together then you don’t need your hair’”.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said: “I feel so drained by everything that has happened, I don’t feel like me anymore.

“I used to be a really happy and bubbly person before I met Williams but now I’m sad and tired all the time. I’ve got no life.

“I don’t speak to my friends anymore, I don’t speak to anyone, I’m just alone. I want it to stop and I want me back.”

Williams, of Leigh Road, Andover, also appeared in court to be sentenced for having a machete in Focus Way, Walworth Industrial Estate, Andover, and possession of cannabis at Basingstoke Police Custody, both on November 18, 2020.

Ms Pletscher said that on arrest Williams “told the officer he had some cannabis hidden under his penis” and was strip searched.

She added: “During the process of the search he retrieved the cannabis and passed it to the officer.”

The court heard about another incident in which he has pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply and having a lock knife in Speen Lane, Newbury, on April 19, 2017.

Berenice Mulvanny, in mitigation, said that her client was “vulnerable at the time” and had a “lack of maturity and [was] making poor decisions” but has now turned his life around, has a part-time job and rekindled his relationship with his parents.

In sentencing Williams, Judge Jane Miller QC said that he left his ex-partner “deeply traumatised” and “intended to maximise the fear and distress”.

Williams was jailed for two and half years and a three-year restraining order was imposed preventing him from contacting the woman.