A 52-year-old man who threatened to stab his long-term partner with a pair of scissors has been jailed for 18 months.

Scott Simpson assaulted the woman twice on consecutive days and a court heard today that she thought she would have been killed if a neighbour had not contacted the police.

Simpson, who has been remanded at HMP Leeds since the attacks in September, pleaded guilty to two charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Judge Kirstie Watson also imposed an indefinite restraining order which bans him from contacting the complainant or going back to their home in Bradford.

Prosecutor Alisha Kaye described how Simpson had subjected the woman to verbal abuse before punching her three or four times in the face.

The complainant was able to calm him down, but the next day there was further abuse and violence.

Miss Kaye described how Simpson dug his nails into the woman’s arms and legs, tried to gouge her eyes and put his hands round her neck preventing her from breathing.

At one point Simpson said he would stab her if she didn’t tell him the truth.

Miss Kaye said Simpson grabbed a pair of scissors and said he would kill the woman.

At that point police officers knocked on the door having been contacted by a concerned neighbour who had heard the victim pleading with Simpson not to stab her.

The complainant had suffered extensive bruising, a black eye and scratches and cuts to her arms and legs.

In her victim impact statement the woman said she thought she would have been killed if the neighbour had not contacted the police.

Barrister Jeremy Hill-Baker, for Simpson, said he had not committed any offences since 2008 and his last prison sentence was 24 years ago.

“He accepts that the relationship with her is over. He indicates that he will make no effort to contact her,” said Mr Hill-Baker.

“He’s a man who has now seriously affected his own life as well as hers.”

Judge Watson said the offending had clearly had an emotional and psychological impact on the complainant as well as a physical one.

She said the assaults had taken place in the victim’s own home where she was entitled to have felt safest.

Judge Watson said it was a case that clearly called for an immediate sentence of imprisonment.