Paul Barton, of Newcastle, subjected his then-girlfriend to a series of attacks, including stamping on her while she was unconscious

A savage Newcastle thug repeatedly stamped on his partner and threatened to kill her while holding a knife to her throat during a “campaign of terror”. Paul Barton subjected his then-girlfriend to a series of assaults, including stamping, punching and kicking her after she had lost consciousness.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the violent relationship had a significant impact on the victim and a judge described her statement about how she had suffered as “harrowing”. Now 47-year-old Barton, of Finchley Crescent, Daisy Hill, Newcastle, has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years after he admitted three assaults and threats to kill.

In March this year they were living together as a couple when there was a verbal argument and she tried to leave flat out of the back door. Barton grabbed her by the hair and dragged her onto the floor.

Lucy Todd, prosecuting, said: “The complainant lost consciousness at this point. When she regained consciousness the defendant disclosed he had stamped, punched and kicked her when she was unconscious.”

Barton was apologetic and the victim was too frightened to report what he had done at that stage. In the following weeks she suffered such pain in her ribs that she believed she had broken ribs.

On May 3, the victim liked a post the of a family friend on Facebook which Barton was unhappy about. Miss Todd said he complained about it then attacked her. She added: “He put her on the floor and stamped on her chest with his foot while wearing shoes, leaving her in pain and with bruising to her to her right breast.

“During this he also pinned her on the sofa and held a knife to her throat, saying he was going to kill her. He got on top of her, kneeling so she couldn’t move while he held the knife to her throat.

“She tried to push him off and as a result her thumb was cut with the blade.” The court heard the sofa and walls were left covered in blood, which the victim had to clean up afterwards.

A few days later, they clashed again and the woman started packing her clothes and said she was leaving. Miss Todd said: “The defendant began punching her to the body.

“She scratched him to try to defend herself. He grabbed her arms and pulled her to the floor and stamped on her head, causing swelling to her face, bruising to her scalp and skinning part of her scalp.”

In a victim impact statement, she said: “Since starting the relationship, I feel like I’m no longer myself. He has changed the way I think and I have lost confidence in myself.

“I’ve always been a happy, outgoing, strong-minded person. Now I don’t feel like the person I’ve always been. Coming to terms with what happened and the impact it had has been hard. I no longer feel safe going places on my own.”

Barton, 47, who has 31 previous convictions, including for GBH in 2005, pleaded guilty to three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and making threats to kill. He was jailed for seven-and-a-half years.

Assistant Judge Advocate Tom Mitchell said: “This was a campaign of terror by you against her. The victim personal statements are harrowing and I’ve no doubt she will remember her encounter with you for the rest of her life.”

Ian Cook, defending, acknowledged the offences were “horrendous”. He said Barton had worked as a crane operator and his employer is keen to have him back when he is freed. He added that he has dealt with a previous heroin addition and is on methadone.

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