A "bully" and "vile" abuser of women threatened to slit his ex partner's wrists and pushed a second ex partner down the stairs before preventing her from calling the police.
Richard Silver, 34, from Cardiff, physically, emotionally and mentally abused women who were unfortunate enough to be in a relationship with him and blamed them for his aggressive behaviour.
His victims Alice Durrant and Vicki Djeebet were subjected to "insulting and degrading" abuse during the course of their respective relationships with the defendant, and were left in fear for their safety after reporting his behaviour to the police.
Ms Durrant and Silver were an item between 2018 and 2019, a sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday heard, and became controlling very early on.
Prosecutor Claire Pickthall said the victim wanted to attend a gym class but the defendant called her "selfish", pulled a bracelet from her wrist and threw it in the bin, threw her bags down the stairs and refused to let her leave for 15 minutes.
He send her messages calling her a "f****** b****" and threatened to kill her cat and smash up her car. Silver was also banned from visiting Ms Durrant's home after her flatmate became concerned about her but the relationship continued.
On another occasion the defendant turned up as Ms Durrant's house, called her a "selfish c***" and chased her to the front of the house before grabbing her by the throat and pushing her against the front door.
When he calmed down he told her it was "her fault" he acted aggressively, and she was left with a red mark around her neck.
The relationship came to an end in December 2019 following an argument in which Silver made a comment about "slitting her wrists" but when she tried to leave he ripped her handbag from her grip, pushed her into a bedroom and said "You're f****** staying there, I don't want to hear another word out of you".
After 15 minutes she left the bedroom and Silver said "Just go then" so she went to her car and left, leaving her belongings in the flat. But after her departure he continued to send offensive messages. Ms Durrant called the police who attended, and Silver arrived at her home. He was arrested and pleaded with the victim to not press charges.
In a victim personal statement, Ms Durrant said she was "living in fear" that Silver would "come for her" and still found it difficult to enjoy herself when out socialising with friends.
She added: "I am angry for what he has done to me but it's no comparison to the fear I feel of him. I don't want him to contact me again but I want him to see what he did was wrong."
Silver was released on bail and began a new relationship with Ms Djeebet in Spring 2020. She said he quickly became verbally abusive but became physically abusive when the defendant was angry about a text she received from her ex partner regarding childcare.
She said they were lying in bed and she felt a "powerful slap" to the side of her head. Silver then pushed her out of bed and told her to get out. He then grabbed her around the neck and pushed her against a wardrobe before telling her to "get back to bed".
Ms Djeebet tried to leave and got to the top of the stairs but the defendant grabbed her top and threw her down the stairs. He told her "This is your fault, this is what you do to me". When the victim tried to leave, he pinned her down for 20 minutes, saying she would ring the police if he let go of her.
She tried to call the police but Silver cancelled the call but on her second attempt she shouted out the address before the defendant took the phone off her. He told her to get in his car but before they could leave the police arrived and the defendant was arrested.
As a result of the assault, Ms Djeebet sustained a lump to the back of her head, bruises to her legs, shins, arms and hands, and her left knee was swollen and painful.
In a victim personal statement, she said: "I am struggling to sleep at night due to thinking about the case and I think about what he will do when he gets out. He's not afraid of anything and thinks he is untouchable."
Silver, of Watkins Square, Llanishen, later pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and putting a person in fear of violence.
Defence barrister Cora Sorensen conceded that her client's behaviour was "reprehensible", but asked the court to pass a suspended sentence. Ms Sorensen argued it could allow Silver to take part in a rehabilitation programme.
However, sentencing judge Michael Fitton QC decided otherwise.
He said: "The picture that presents about you in private.... you are a bully, you are vile to women you are in a relationship with and anybody who gets to know you should be aware of your conduct in private in which you exhibit characteristics of aggression.
"You behave in a manner which is insulting and degrading to women for which you don't have the slightest respect. Your opinion of yourself far exceeds the opinions of other people who know you."
Silver was sentenced to two years imprisonment and was made subject to a 10-year restraining order in respect of both his victims.
