A pregnant mum was attacked by her possessive partner who threatened to chop her head off and petrol bomb her home.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that this was a particularly chilling threat as she knew he had previously been jailed for an arson attack.
Judge David Swinnerton told Steven Kennedy that against a background of being on licence for arson that “was calculated to be, and was, absolutely petrifying."
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He said: "It took place in her own home, you threatened her in that way and she has been forced to leave that house and her children have been forced to move school by fear of you.
Kennedy, 37, of Borden Court, London Road in the city centre also threatened that he would “put your head on a stick” and said, “I’ll chop your f***ing head off.”
Judge Swinnerton said that Kennedy had also told his victim during the incident: "No one knows the real me."
He added: "The courts are beginning to know the real you because you are repeatedly sentenced for offences of violence."
The court was told that his victim, a single mum-of-two, was 17 weeks pregnant with his child at the time of the incident on June 26 this year but after was sentenced Kennedy shouted out, “I’m told it’s not my child.”
He was appearing via video link from prison having been recalled on licence. The judge jailed him for 18 months today (Tue) and imposed 10 year restraining order to keep away from his victim.
Michael Stephenson, prosecuting, said that the couple had been in an eight month long relationship and he was “jealous and possessive throughout the relationship.”
On June 26 she went on her own to her brother’s wedding and got back to her Kirby home about 8.30pm and he appeared and followed her in.
Mr Stephenson said: “He was abusive to her, calling her a slag ’and when she told him to leave he responded by punching a hole in the living room door.
"Realising she could not get him to go she said she was leaving herself and then he pulled her back, pushed her onto the floor and pinned her down by her arms.”
The screen of her mobile phone was damaged in the incident and he made threats. As he walked down the path he threw her keys back at her and said, “I’m going to petty (petrol) bomb your house. I’ll make sure you’re gone by tomorrow.”
Mr Stephenson said that in an impact statement the woman told how she is now on medication as she has been left depressed and in a constant state of worry.
She has been re-located to a new area meaning her two children have had to leave their friends and start a new school and the move has cost her £600.
The court heard that the defendant has numerous previous convictions including violence and had been jailed in November 2018 for 38 months for setting fire to a door of the multi-occupancy house where he was then living using an aerosol being reckless whether lives were endangered.
Kennedy pleaded guilty to making threats to cause damage by fire, common assault and criminal damage.
Paul Wood, defending, said, “There was little or no planning and it was relatively impulsive.”
Kennedy accepted it was “an ugly incident” and realised the impact of it. He had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.
