A violent brute who choked his girlfriend before hiding her domestic abuse alarm has been caged for more than three years.
Darren Worthington was told there was no alternative to prison after he admitted subjecting his former partner to a two-month campaign of terror.
Worthington repeatedly beat the woman, locked her in her Paisley home and isolated her from friends and family.
He did all this after being released from prison for a previous assault on her.
The 28-year-old also screened her phone calls and text messages and repeatedly grabbed her groin and breasts over her clothing between August 2 and October 10 last year.
Worthington admitted two charges covering a catalogue of physical and mental abuse against his former partner at Paisley Sheriff Court last month and returned to the dock to learn his fate.
Worthington’s abuse came to light when police were called to a report of a domestic disturbance on October 10.
During the incident, he grabbed her and threw her to the floor, kicked her on the head and body and banged her head off the floor five or six times, causing her nose to bleed.
He then placed his thumbs on her throat and said: “F**k your asthma, I’m going to kill you.”
She managed to whisper “sorry” and Worthington released his grip. She tried to call the police but he had hidden the phone, along with her domestic abuse alarm. A neighbour heard her screams for help and called police.
Officers found the victim “shaking, distraught and crying uncontrollably”.
She was taken to hospital where she was found to have swelling to her face, red marks on her neck and bruising to parts of her body. She revealed to police the extent of Worthington’s abuse.
She told officers he was “adamant she should spend all her time with him”.
He would lock her in the house and prevent her from seeing her mum and close friends, repeatedly monitor her communication with others and, on occasions when she did spend time away from him, he would harass her.
Anthony Borland, defending Worthington, said: “He fully accepts it was unacceptable. He claims he is unable to explain why he subjected the complainer to such levels of violence.”
Sheriff Tom McCartney said: “The offending behaviour occurred during a period when you had been released from prison that had not expired and I shall first make an order that you return to serve seven months in respect of that unexpired sentence.”
Worthington was sentenced to 29 months in jail. That term will run consecutively to the seven months from his previous offence.
He will also be supervised for 12 months after his release and a non-harrassment order will prevent him from contacting the woman for 10 years.
