A rejected boyfriend broke into his former partner's home and subjected her to a frightening attack in the middle of the night.
Throughout the incident, Harry Price, aged 32, grabbed his victim round the neck, headbutted her and struck her several times.
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard how he turned violent after she went into the bathroom, locked the door and tried to get help from a small window, as reported by Stoke-on-Trent Live.
It was one of many desperate attempts to get away from him before she finally managed to flee the property and alert a passing dog walker.
Price, of Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, has admitted to charges of assault occasioning on actual bodily harm and criminal damage.
Peter McCartney, prosecuting, said the estranged couple had begun a relationship in 2017 and had a child together. But fuelled by drugs and alcohol, Price was becoming abusive towards her.
“She decided to end the relationship. He didn’t take it very well. Since then, he was turning up at her home and calling her at ‘stupid’ times of the day,” added Mr McCartney.
At 1am on September 29, his ex-partner was asleep at home. She was awoken by a noise downstairs.
It was Price and he was repeatedly saying, ‘is he here, is he here’. He then appeared in the bedroom ‘in dramatic fashion’ and was verbally abusive.
Price started checking other rooms, including the loft, as if searching for somebody.
His ex-partner went to the bathroom and tried to call for help through the window. But Price heard her and forced the bathroom door open.
Mr McCartney said: “He grabbed her round the neck with both hands and headbutted her.
“He dragged her out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. He punched her two or three times.”
When Price eventually left the room, his victim spied her second chance to get help. She had hidden her mobile phone under the mattress and reached for it.
But her violent ex-boyfriend appeared again and she ended the 999 call.
It was 7.30am by the time she managed to escape and approach the passer-by, who rang the police.
The woman would later tell police: “I feel terrorised in my own home. I do not feel safe anymore.”
The court was told Price appeared to be under the influence of drugs when the incident happened.
Stuart Muldoon, mitigating, said: “In a sober light, he recognises the horrible person he was being. He is adamant that he is not going to come before the courts again.”
Price had turned to drink and drugs after losing a close relative.
He has spent six weeks in custody on remand and it has acted as a wake-up call. The defendant has now withdrawn from drugs.
“He aims to remain sober, get back into work and be a good father,” said Mr Muldoon.
The court heard his ex-partner has since got back in touch with him and had also written to the judge to say he needed help.
Price has now received a 14-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. It includes a requirement to complete a ‘building better relationships’ programme, 20 rehabilitation activity days and 100 hours of unpaid work.
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