A violent and controlling man threatened to smash his partner’s head in and told her to strap down his arms to stop him harming her, Bradford Crown Court heard.

Johnathon Betts had recently been released from prison for attacking a previous partner when he began a relationship with the woman. He lied to her saying he owned his home and had his own business when he was in reality on licence for the assault.

Betts, 28, was on remand in Leeds Prison when he was jailed for two years and three months after admitting controlling or coercive behaviour at an address in the Bradford area.

Prosecutor Abdul Shakoor said Betts’ 11 previous convictions for 13 offences included three matters of violence against former partners.

The court heard he isolated his latest victim from her friends and family, controlled her finances, dictated what she wore and even refused to let her attend her beloved grandmother’s funeral.

Mr Shakoor said she ran up a £2,000 debt because he demanded money and she had to be given cash by her relatives.

Betts assaulted her when he accused her of trying to escape and then caused bruising when he grabbed her and pinned her down.

He threatened to “smash her head in” after she spoke to a taxi driver “for too long.”

When she brought him a glass of water and the glass was wet, he threw it at her, Mr Shakoor said.

Betts once ripped her clothing because he didn’t like her top and he refused to allow her to wear make-up.

When she was at an appointment at Bradford Royal Infirmary, he rang her 15 times to check where she was.

She would stay awake at night because she was too afraid to go to sleep.

The court heard that Betts terrified the woman with talk of “slitting her throat” and told her to strap down his arms to prevent him from harming her.

In her victim personal statement, she said she still had nightmares but was beginning to feel a sense of freedom. She was on antidepressants and awaiting counselling.

She told how Betts had rubbed a tikka masala she had made into her hair, saying he wouldn’t feed it to a dog. His previous convictions included breach of a non-molestation order, two offences of battery and the actual bodily harm offence he was jailed for shortly before he began the relationship.

Andrew Walker said in mitigation that it would be futile to try to persuade the court this wasn’t a Category A1 offence.

“The custody threshold has long since passed,” he said.

Betts had serious health problems and was afraid of dying from Covid, having spent three months in prison.

He had been jealous throughout the relationship.

“His behaviour, bad as it was, has resulted in him losing the best thing that ever happened to him,” Mr Walker told the court.

Recorder Patrick Palmer said Betts had “severe and significant emotional and financial control,” on the woman, leaving her traumatised.

His probation officer said he was at a high risk of reoffending against women in the future.

An indefinite restraining order bans Betts from contacting the woman or going to her home.