A thug stabbed a man months before knocking his own ex-partner's tooth out in a sustained attack at her home.
The first incident occurred after 33-year-old Ian Robinson and his ex-partner, Kylie Gaffney, believed another mum at their children’s school in Bootle had been spreading rumours among parents in the playground.
Liverpool Crown Court heard there were text messages between the two women and at a chance meeting in a shop Robinson, of Netherton, called the other mum “a scruffy hillbilly".
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Her partner, William McIntyre, became involved when he messaged Miss Gaffney and Robinson on Facebook telling them to leave his partner alone.
Two days later Mr McIntyre and his partner were on Poulsom Drive, Bootle, with their two youngest children when a car "screeched" along.
Cheryl Mottram, prosecuting, said Miss Gaffney got out and started shouting at the mum.
She told the court: "Mr McIntyre got between them and it was then Ian Robinson appeared.
"He had his fists clenched and for no real reason started to strike out at Mr McIntyre, he seemed to be punching him around the body.
“He in fact had in his hand a kitchen knife, which he used to wound Mr McIntyre on his arm and chest.
“Kylie Gaffney shouted Robinson to ‘get back in the car. She threatened to ‘burn the house down if they called the police’ before she got back into car and drove them both away.
Ms Mottram continued: “Mr McIntyre realised that his jacket was soaked in blood, he called the police before attending at Aintree hospital to have his wounds dealt with.
“Fortunately, the injuries were not as serious as they could have been, a small stab wound to the chest which required four stitches and a small puncture wound to the elbow.
“The defendant was arrested on the same day. He was interviewed at the police station, he denied being the person responsible, he said he was at home at the time of the incident."
By the time of the later incident, Robinson and Miss Gaffney were not living together but he stayed over when visiting their three children.
During the evening, however Miss Gaffney saw messages on Robinson's mobile phone from another woman and confronted him about them.
Ms Mottram said: “She confronted him about the messages and told him that messages like the ones she had seen were why she could not trust him and were exactly the reason why she would not resume a relationship with him.
“The defendant immediately jumped up from the sofa and punched Miss Gaffney to the face knocking out her front tooth.
“Miss Gaffney bent over to pick the tooth up and felt the defendant punching and kicking her mainly to the face and head. She tried to push him off but he just kept coming at her.
“He then picked her up with both hands around her throat, she was struggling to breath. He held her in this position for approximately five seconds before letting her go and she fell to the sofa.
“Miss Gaffney was able to run to the bedroom, but the defendant followed her threatening to burn the house down if she called the police.
"He again grabbed her around the throat and threw her onto the bed before leaving the house.
“The next thing Miss Gaffney is aware of is waking up on the bed in pain. She went straight to her mother’s address where the police and an ambulance attended.
"Fortunately, the children had been staying elsewhere that night and did not witness the incident.”
Miss Mottram said the victim’s tooth had been knocked out, she suffered a fracture to her left cheek as well as multiple bruising and swelling across her body and face.
When Robinson was arrested and interviewed he made no comment.
He later pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm, possessing a bladed article and attempted assault and was jailed for a total of three years.
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