A 28-year-old Worcestershire man who subjected his girlfriend to two hours of violence at their home has been sent to jail.

Samuel Wilson insulted his partner Caroline Davies and spat at her when an argument started on the morning of December 5 last year, Worcester Crown Court was told.

Stephen Mooney prosecuting, said Wilson then grabbed her and pinned her to the bed with his knee on her chest and clawed at her face. She bit his thumb and one of her teeth came out, Mr Mooney said. He hit her on the side of the head and she lost consciousness momentarily, Mr Mooney told the court. When she came round, he was hitting her on the head and she managed to escape into the front room.

The noise disturbed a neighbour who appeared at the window and Miss Davies asked them to call police. Wilson would not let her leave the flat and she shouted and screamed until he let her go at the end of a sustained assault lasting two hours, Mr Mooney said. She had cuts to her chest and nose, scratches to her face and pains in her arm.

The following day after Wilson had been questioned by police, he continued to send her text messages and went to her address. He waited nearby and saw her walking outside with an ex-partner. He insulted her and threatened her again before running off when the man confronted him, Mr Mooney said.

He then sent her a text message saying he was going to go down for a long time because of what she had told police in an attempt that was "characteristic of domestic violence" to persuade her to change her story, Mr Mooney said.

Wilson, of Swallow Place, Droitwich, pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm and witness intimidation.

Richard Hull, defending, said the couple had been together "24/7 and permanently in each other's company" and it had proved to be "too intense." He said the text messages had been unpleasant but had not contained any specific threats and Wilson had said in one that he would always love her. After his release, he hoped to live with his father in Droitwich and return to a previous job as a warehouse operative.

Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins, QC, gave Wilson 12 months for assault and six months consecutive for the intimidation charge, a total of 18 months.