A MAN labelled a violent and controlling bully has been jailed for two years for a ‘prolonged and wicked’ attack on a former partner in which he poured cooking oil on her and threatened to set it alight.

Ryan Holdsworth headbutted the woman and held a lighter near her face after pouring the oil over her during a sustained assault that led to her fleeing the house partially clothed, Bradford Crown Court heard on Tuesday.

Holdsworth, 39, who was living at an address in Wrose, Bradford, but was remanded into Leeds Prison, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm on December 30 last year and breach of a non-molestation order.

Prosecutor Jonathan Sharp said Holdsworth had previously been sentenced for stalking after sending abusive messages to his victim after they had split up.

On the day of the attack, he headbutted her, poured oil on her and threatened to light it, dragged her upstairs and then outside and kicked her.

She fled the address with a bloody nose, leaving her phone behind.

The police were alerted and she was seen to have bruising to her leg and face.

In her victim impact statement, she spoke of suffering physical and psychological harm. She had severe anxiety, flashbacks and didn’t sleep well.

She would check the CCTV cameras she had installed and was worried about the time Holdsworth would be released from custody.

The woman, who attended court for the hearing, said she had sought help from her GP and had to spend time off work, Mr Sharp said it was ‘a prolonged and persistent assault’ after Holdsworth had been abusive and threatening to his victim in the past.

Jayne Beckett said in mitigation that the defendant had another side to him.

He was highly thought of by his employer of 20 years and a previous partner also spoke well of him.

He was disgusted with himself for his actions that day when he was extremely affected by alcohol.

Mrs Beckett said that Holdsworth knew he must strive to be free from drink in the future.

He was taking courses while in prison and focusing on a positive future without alcohol.

He would live with his very supportive parents on his release, she said.

Recorder Jason Pitter KC said Holdsworth’s victim described him as being bullying, controlling and violent.

The impact of the assault on her had been enormous and she had done the right thing in standing up to him and supporting the prosecution.

Recorder Pitter said the woman was vulnerable in the context of her past relationship with Holdsworth, relating how he had ‘gaslighted’ her and ‘wore her down.’ The unprovoked and violent attack on her in December was ‘an act of extreme wickedness,’ Recorder Pitter stated.

She must have been in abject fear to flee the property partially clothed.

The assault was ‘gratuitous and degrading,’ with Holdsworth pouring cooking oil on her and threatening to light it, and headbutting and kicking her.

Holdsworth was jailed for 18 months for the actual bodily harm offence with six months to run consecutively for the breach of the non-molestation order.

Recorder Pitter made a restraining order without limit of time banning the defendant from having any contact with the woman or going to any address where he thought she might be.