A violent County Durham man filled his partner with so much terror she refused to give his name to police when they found her with "multiple injuries".
Robert Mason's partner was so scared of him, she believed he would kill her one day and "begged" officers not to arrest him.
Mason's crimes came to light when the woman rang an emergency 999 call on October 26, last year.
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Durham Crown Court was told the woman was "distressed and in a considerable amount of fear" during the call.
Elizabeth Muir, prosecuting, said despite the emergency call being made, the woman was so terrified, she was initially "not prepared to say" who or what she was afraid of.
The court heard that the woman said she would be killed if she gave them a name or an address, saying "six times" she was fearful that she'd be killed.
Police finally managed to meet up with the woman in a Shildon street, where it was discovered she had "multiple injuries" that were "apparent" to the officers.
The court heard she "repeatedly" stated that Mason would kill her if she provided a name and "begged" them not to go to see him.
But despite not giving Mason's name or address to officers, it was soon found that police had responded to a previous incident at that address in 2020.
Mason, 44, was then arrested.
The court heard that the woman had "suffered abuse at the hands of the defendant for years".
Mason, of Freville Street, Shildon, pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm and possessing an offensive weapon - knuckledusters.
In defence, the court was told that Mason had never served a prison sentence.
Judge Ray Singh jailed Mason for 16 months.
