A man who threatened to kill his former partner in a series of terrifying WhatsApp messages has been jailed for two and a half years.

Adam Finney told the woman: “I’m going to smash your head in; just wait, I’m going to do you something wicked,” after grabbing her round the throat just days earlier.

Finney, 35, of Parsonage Road, Laisterdyke, Bradford, pleaded guilty to assault by beating on March 19, making threats to kill, between March 25 and 26 and assaulting a detention officer on March 27.

Prosecutor Andrew Stranex told Bradford Crown Court that Finney’s former partner said he had a volatile nature.

She found him aggressive and frightening but had been too afraid to call the police, the court heard.

After she left him and moved to Bradford, Finney grabbed her round the throat and shouted at her for blocking him on her phone.

She was in fear and agreed to accept his calls, the court was told.

He then sent her a series of threatening messages over two days.

When the woman said she was going to tell the police, he replied: “Ring ‘em and I’ll kill you."

He then added: "I’ll put you next to your f***ing grandad if you ever ring the police.”

She was shaking and crying when officers spoke to her, Mr Stranex said.

She was so terrified of Finney that she asked her father to move in with her to keep her safe.

The woman told officers: “His behaviour is ruining my life.”

Finney had 21 previous convictions for 65 offences, the court was told.

Those offences included criminal damage, resisting the police, kidnap, causing actual bodily harm, threatening behaviour, affray and grievous bodily harm. He had more than ten convictions for battery.

Andrew Dallas said in mitigation that Finney was a fully qualified personal trainer who wanted to move away from Bradford to make a new start.

He was stressed and anxious at the time of the offences because his mother had recently died.

He had sought help in prison on remand and was now on medication for depression, the court was told.

Finney had assaulted the detention officer by throwing a cup of water at him through the hatch on his cell door. He did not cause any injury.

Recorder Andrew Haslam QC said the WhatsApp messages were “quite awful,” with Finney threatening to “do madness” to the woman and “burn her car out.”

Finney had a worrying history of violence towards women, the court heard. But he had written to the judge expressing his shame and remorse.

Recorder Haslam made a restraining order for six years banning Finney from contacting the woman.