A thug who strangled his girlfriend, told her he would kill her and tried to pour urine over her during a terrifying and prolonged attack has been jailed.
Benjamin Merriman, 30, also told the woman he would stab her if she fell asleep, and she said he threatened to rape her, a court was told.
A judge said the victim thought she was going to die - and heard how she begged for help as Merriman subjected her to an ordeal of violence lasting several hours.
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He's now been jailed for three-and-a-half years.
The judge told Merriman: "Your brutal, cowardly, shameful acts have left an indelible mark on her and her well-being."
Liverpool Crown Court heard the woman managed to get dressed, call her mum and escape on March 10 before police were alerted.
Fiona McNeill, prosecuting, said they had been in a relationship for seven months and she had tried to get help for Merriman, who was said to suffer from bi-polar disorder alongside a personality disorder.
The court heard an argument developed and when she challenged him to hit her, he repeatedly slapped her across the face.
"He then jumped on her and strangled her and while strangling her, said 'I'm going to kill you'," said Ms McNeill.
She said at one point he produced a knife and threatened to stab her if she went to sleep.
The prosecutor said: "He was calling her a number of names including prostitute and saying she stank.
"She recalled he threatened to rape her. One of the slaps caused her head to hit the wall.
"He would have moments during the course of the incident where he was expressing regret for his behaviour but after a few moments, his attitude changed and became aggressive again."
The court heard they continued to argue and Merriman told her she 'deserved to be p****d on'.
He grabbed a bottle of urine and attempted to pour it on her, the judge was told.
Merriman, of Bostock Street, Bewsey, Warrington, pleaded guilty to making threats to kill and assault by beating.
Jailing him the judge, Recorder Ian Unsworth QC, said: "During the course of several hours on March 10 you subjected your victim to what I am sure you recognise must have been to her a terrifying ordeal."
He told Merriman, who appeared via video link from prison at the sentencing hearing, that he regarded the strangulation as an aggravating feature. He said that although she had not suffered serious physical injuries, she had been badly psychologically harmed.
"She thought she was going to die," Recorder Unsworth said.
"She struggled to sleep in the aftermath."
Recorder Unsworth said that even though he had been kept in custody, she was afraid and suffered with nightmares.
The woman has changed her work arrangements and decided to move house, the court was told.
The judge imposed an indefinite restraining order on Merriman, to keep him away from his victim.
Simeon Evans, defending, said Merriman, who has 10 previous convictions for 12 offences including criminal damage, malicious communications and assault, accepted his victim must have been frightened.
He had used knives to harm himself and threatened to use one, but didn't brandish it, Mr Evans added.
"He was drinking as a form of self-medication, which had the opposite effect and it turned him into this nasty person," he said.
"He will take opportunities offered to him and acts responsibility when his mental health issues are dealt with."
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