A man driven by “jealousy and the desire to control” has been jailed after he stamped on his girlfriend’s face and threatened to kill her.

Paul Bass, 54, of Otley Road, Bradford, was in a “volatile” relationship with Jean Collins, Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday.

He banged on the back door of her Tong Street home on December 14, 2007 shouting “You’re dead,” before breaking the chain that held the door locked. She made a 999 call, but dropped the phone and the line was left open during the incident that followed.

The hearing was told Bass lifted Miss Collins up by her top, injuring her neck. He then threw her to the ground and stamped on her face.

Prosecutor Nigel Hamilton said Bass then climbed on top of Miss Collins and ran a knife across her arms before holding it to her neck.

Mr Hamilton said: “The prosecution says, given he said she had had other men round in the house, this was an attack motivated by jealousy and the desire to control. Not surprisingly, she was terribly scared.”

The hearing was told Bass then said if she told police what had happened he would kill her, and cut her telephone line with a pair of kitchen scissors before leaving. Police then arrived to find Miss Collins screaming and crying with fresh blood on her lips.

Bass was arrested three days later.

On December 21, 2007 – four days after his arrest – Bass broke his bail conditions by contacting Miss Collins several times by phone.

Sentencing Bass to 27 months for actual bodily harm and a further three months for intimidation to be served consecutively, Judge Peter Hunt said: “This sentencing is to show society at large that violence of this nature will not be tolerated.”

For Bass, barrister Nicola Peers told the judge: “It wasn’t the most serious of witness intimidation offences.”