A violent dad has been jailed after name-calling, punching, strangling, and threatening with a knife the mother of his three children during their 'abusive' relationship.
At one point Paul Little, 42, was so 'out of control' his terrified partner feared he would kill her a court heard. He's now been jailed by a judge who said he had 'degraded' and caused 'maximum stress' to his former partner.
Little began a relationship with the woman in January 2012 and they began living together in September of that year Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court was told.
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Brian Berlyne, prosecuting, described the relationship as being 'volatile' from early on and said although he 'could be loving' he once strangled her and threatened her with a hammer.
Though this fell outside the period of time Little was charged in relation to, Mr Berlyne said it provided important 'background' as to what was to come.
The couple had a second child, born in October 2018, and financial pressures caused frequent arguments and Little did not like her leaving the house. Their third child was born in August 2021, six months after their relationship broke down and they separated, Mr Berlyne said.
However Little would come round to visit her at her apartment in Timperley, Trafford, and it was from this point his behaviour began to 'deteriorate' he said.
He 'pushed her round her apartment and raised his fists at her' the prosecutor said and would 'threaten to kill her and throw acid in her face.' "He was jealous" he continued. "He seemed to consider she was being unfaithful to him."
After another incident in June 2021 where he accused her of sleeping with people and screamed at her, she took steps to apply for a non-molestation order.
However the court was told Little 'convinced her not to go through with it', apologised, and their relationship resumed. Yet just a couple of months later, the abuse also resumed.
On one occasion in 2022 he strangled her, gripping her for around five seconds during which Mr Berlyne said she could 'just about breath.'
In March that year, during an argument at her apartment he 'lunged' at her, she kicked him in the shin in response and so punched her in the mouth the court was told.
The following month, Little turned up at her flat after he had been drinking. In a fit of rage he 'demanded her phone', knocked a water bottle out of her hands and grabbed her by the neck for around five seconds.
He then grabbed a knife from the kitchen and 'threatened to put it in her' Mr Berlyne said leaving the woman fearing she was going to be stabbed. At one point he put the knife down and she left the room, ran to the front door, and screamed.
The prosecutor said Little threatened to strangle her so no one would hear her, ran into the bathroom, locked the door and called the police. He left after he realised she had rung them. He was arrested several days later.
In his police interview, he denied ever assaulting her or causing hear to fear she would be attacked.
However Little, of Borley Walk, Wythenshawe, pleaded guilty at an earlier court hearing to controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship and strangulation.
In a statement read to the court, the woman said the abuse had left her feeling anxious and with low self-esteem and that she was fearful of moving on to a new relationship.
The court heard Little had six previous convictions for eight offences, including for aggravated burglary and assault causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent for which he received a 10-year sentence in 2005.
Harriet Lavin, defending, said his offending 'seems to be clearly linked to binge drinking' and that during his time on remand for the offences it was 'clear steps have been taken in terms of taking responsibility for what he's done and not causing further harm'
She added: "Mr Little has three children. They are young children. He was seeing them every day and has a very close relationship with them. He does not want to jeopardize not seeing his children." He appeared via video link at his sentencing hearing on Thursday, June, 15.
The judge, Recorder Edmund Fowler, said: "The victim documents in her victim personal statement how it took so long for her to speak to the police. She feared you would kill her so out of control were you.
"She was scared of the consequences of going to the police. She was scared about the consequences of your relationship and she's scared about the consequences of moving on in her life and to a new partner.
"This was behaviour designed to cause maximum stress, over a prolonged period. There were multiple methods of behaviour and there was some degrading behaviour. There is a history of violence against (your victim).
"You have expressed a degree of remorse, which I accept is genuine. You have also been diagnosed with ADHD which may have affected your behaviour."
However, Recorder Fowler said the offences were so serious they warranted a length of sentence that could not be suspended, as he jailed him for two and a half years.
