A MAN told his former partner he would kill her and her cats during a horrific assault. 

Arshid Ahmed, 36, appeared before Bradford Crown Court via videolink yesterday, to be sentenced over the attack, which unfolded in July this year.

The court heard Ahmed, of no fixed abode, and the woman had been in a relationship for around six months.

There had not been previous violence in the relationship, but she was at her home on the date in question when Ahmed returned after going out and "flipped out" when she questioned where he had been.

He punched her in the face and in the ribs, picked up some scissors and said he was going to kill himself.

He then cut her on the wrist, said he was going to torture and kill her and her cats, before picking up a cat and throwing it into the kitchen.

Ahmed then forced her to apologise for the way she had spoken to him.

He eventually calmed down and the woman fled the property when he went to bed to call the police and a neighbour was able to help her.

The court heard Ahmed has five convictions for 11 previous offences, including a breach of a restraining order in from another relationship where he went to her home while in drink, threw a plate at the wall and said he had information she had been to London with another man. She then discovered £35 and a bank card had been taken.

After leaving the house, he then took a taxi and vomited in the back, which the driver took issue with.

Ahmed threatened to smash his face in and made other threats. There was then another breach of a restraining order.

He was in breach of a suspended sentence when committing the July attack.

Abdul Shakoor, for Ahmed, said: "He is realistic as to his position. He knows the question for your honour is the length of the custodial sentence.

"He accepts it's totally unacceptable behaviour."

He told the court that Ahmed comes from a "respectable" family, who now want nothing to do with him and they feel is not representative of them, or their faith.

The court heard he had some personal difficulties, including drinking, some cannabis use and has also suffered from anxiety and depression in the past, but he wanted to apologise to the court and the woman for his behaviour.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall said it had been a "nasty" and "sustained and repeated" assault.

He was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment and a restraining order will also be made.

He told Ahmed, who pleaded guilty on the first day of trial at magistrates' court: "I hope you can come to terms with yourself and not do this again."