Thug assaulted his ex-partner at her home in Leeds then threatened to harm her dog unless she withdrew police statement

Joseph Morrison was locked up for 18 months over the attacks and two offences of drug driving.

Leeds Crown Court heard Morrison had been in a relationship with the woman for two and a half years before they broke up and they have a child together.

Marte Alnaes, prosecuting, said Morrison turned up at her home in Beeston on January 10 this year and demanded money to buy drugs.

The woman refused to hand over any money and Morrison grabbed her by the hair, threw her to the floor and spat in her face.

She gave into his demands for cash and Morrison left the property to buy drugs.

A further attack took place the next day when Morrison bent the woman's fingers back as he stopped her from using her mobile phone to contact police.

He chased her outside the property and threw punches at her.

She locked herself in the bathroom before Morrison kicked and punched the door then pushed a knife through it.

The victim managed to call police and the 27-year-old was arrested.

Ms Alnaes said Morrison sent a text message to the woman on January 21 threatening to hurt her dog unless she retracted her statement.

The prosecutor said the defendant had taken the dog from her weeks earlier.

He then went to her home and kicked the front door, causing damage.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of common assault, intimidating a witness, assault by beating and two counts of driving while over the limit for drugs.

Morrison has 24 previous convictions for offences including assaulting an emergency worker and breaching a suspended sentence order.

Matthew Harding, mitigating, said Morrison accepted he would be going to prison and pleaded guilty to the offences at an early stage.

Sentencing, Judge Christopher Batty said: "There is only one outcome today and that is custody."