A serial woman beater threatened police with an electric wizz saw after battering his latest victim.
James McCaig choked and punched his then-girlfriend in two at his home in Little Bongs, Knotty Ash .
The first saw the 34-year-old arm himself with two kitchen knives and scream "I will f***ing kill ya" at his .
In the second he threatened to smash her car with a lump hammer, then warned three officers: "I will put you in a box."
Liverpool Crown Court heard the couple started seeing each other in July and the victim moved in with him in September.
Mike Stephenson, prosecuting, said McCaig started showing "controlling behaviour", including regularly checking her phone.
He accused her of cheating on him and insisted on driving her to work in her car and ringing up to check on her.
On October 12, they went to a party arranged for the victim by her family, but he became jealous of the attention she received.
When they got home she offered him her phone to inspect, but he lost his temper and hit her in the head, knocking her off a bed.
McCaig choked the victim and repeatedly hit her in the head, before leaving her sobbing in a corner of the room.
Mr Stephenson said: "He returned carrying two kitchen knives and he made threats to kill her."
The thug threw the blades down and started smashing up the room, so the victim fled downstairs.
He caught her, dragged her by the hair and threw her out of the front door, onto stone cobbles.
Back inside he continued his attack, leaving the victim with a sore head and bruises to her arms and neck.
Mr Stephenson said: "She also lost large clumps of hair that he tore out."
McCaig was apologetic the next day and she stayed at home until October 16, when he drove her to and from work.
He had promised not to attack her again, but struck her to the head that night and smashed her mobile phone.
She screamed from a bedroom window, but he threatened if she left "watch what happens to your car".
He picked up a lump hammer and ran outside towards her car, but a brave neighbour took the victim to safety.
McCaig threatened to "smash" the victim's brother's head in and she called police, who arrived at 9.45pm.
Officers went to his house, but McCaig said he "wouldn't come out without a fight" and was seen with the hammer.
Mr Stephenson said: "He warned them he had a wizz saw, a circular saw.
"He turned the circular saw on, and that could be seen by all three officers.
"They all took that threat seriously because of his erratic and aggressive behaviour."
The yob eventually put the saw down and gave himself up, but denied the assaults in a police interview.
The victim told police she was left "absolutely terrified" and physically sick with fear.
Mr Stephenson said: "Her nerves are shot to pieces at the thought of him being released.
"She has been unable to eat or drink properly and she has had medication for anxiety and to help her sleep.
"She paints a picture of him bright red with anger, frothing at the mouth... she thought he was actually going to kill her.
"She struggles with the picture of that in her mind."
McCaig admitted assault causing actual bodily harm (ABH), two counts of criminal damage, common assault, threats to damage property and affray.
He was locked up for 16 months in 2014 for two counts of assault causing ABH, after punching a girlfriend when she came home after a night out.
McCaig was jailed for 14 months in 2016, for two more counts of assault causing ABH and threats to kill, against a partner he punched and kicked.
In 2017 he was locked up for 13 months for racially aggravated assault causing ABH and criminal damage, against yet another girlfriend.
The court heard after she described a black film actor as "lovely" and "dead funny", he kicked the woman and called her a "f***ing n***** lover".
David Birrell, defending, said McCaig's threats to police were "contained" in the house and he came out unarmed and surrendered.
He said: "It was an episode of madness on his part, which he soon emerged out of."
Mr Birrell said his client - a self-employed landscape gardener - wanted to express remorse and apologise to his victim.
The barrister said McCaig, who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, was now seeing a mental health team in prison.
He said: "He is seeking help for his drug misuse problems. He instructs that he tended to self-medicate with cannabis."
Judge Brian Cummings, QC, said the victim "believed she was at risk of being killed" and McCaig had a history of domestic violence.
He said: "I cannot avoid the conclusion that you have in you the capacity to behave in a very violent and unstable manner in the context of personal relationships."
Jailing McCaig for two years and three months, Judge Cummings also imposed a five-year restraining order.
