A VIOLENT thug who repeatedly punched and kicked his partner hurled abuse at a judge after he jailed him for two years.

Scott Whitehead, who was appearing at Liverpool Crown Court via a videolink from HMP Berwyn in Wrexham, swore at Recorder Michael Smith following his sentencing for a violent attack on his girlfriend at around 6am on Saturday, September 11 this year.

Jonathan Duffy, prosecuting, told the court how Whitehead, 27, had turned up drunk at the home of his "on-off" partner on The Avenue, Eccleston.

He began banging on the door which was on its chain before forcing his way inside and punching his girlfriend on the forehead.

Demanding money, Whitehead, of Peter Street, St Helens, then began kicking and punching his victim to the head and body as he dragged her from room to room by her hair.

Mr Duffy said the woman, who transferred money into Whitehead's account during the attack, sustained "nasty, very unpleasant injuries" including a broken nose.

She declined to make a victim personal statement or request a restraining order be placed on her attacker.

Mr Duffy added that Whitehead had eight previous convictions for 20 offences and had been jailed for 26 months in 2020 for offences including making threats to kill, battery and assaulting an emergency worker.

Nicola Daley, defending, said that following his release from prison Whitehead had begun living with friends who used drugs.

"He was dealing with the pressures in his life in a poor way," said Ms Daley, who added that Whitehead had been denied access to his two-year-old son.

Passing sentence, Recorder Smith, branded Whitehead's behaviour as "disgusting" and said that the assault would have continued if the woman's neighbours had not called the police after they heard her screams.

"If they had not get there who knows what would've happened," he added. "You became uncontrolled in the way you behaved."

He also suggested that the woman's decision not to make a victim personal statement "might indicate she is under your control and terrified".

Whitehead, who pleaded guilty to charges of GBH and criminal damage, was jailed for two years, with Recorder Smith choosing to ignore his bad language as the sentencing hearing closed.