A MAN who attacked his then-girlfriend three times - squeezing her neck and hitting her in the head with a gin bottle - has been jailed.

Anthony Stephen Webb was in a "short and tempestuous relationship" with his victim last year after the two connected on the social media app Snapchat.

The hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday was told Webb, 31, sent his victim abusive messages online when she did not respond to his requests to talk.

Emma Harris, prosecuting, said these messages were followed by attempts to reconcile, and the pair were "on a good track" in December when Webb carried out the first assault.

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At her home, Webb accused his victim of adding his friends on Facebook so she could sleep with them, Ms Harris said. When his victim denied this, Webb twice grabbed her by the neck and "squeezed".

Before leaving her home, he threw a can of shaving foam at his victim, cutting her lip.

A few days later, Webb was again at his victim's home when the pair argued. He then grabbed her arm and burned her hand and leg with a lighter, before leaving, Ms Harris said.

The third and final assault again took place at Webb's victim's home, when an engineer was servicing the boiler. Webb threatened his victim, accusing her of infidelity with the engineer. Later, he wrapped a phone charger cable around her neck and "pulled tightly,” then put her in a headlock until she almost passed out, Ms Harris said.

Webb then bit his victim on the back and kicked and punched her to the floor, picking up a half-empty gin bottle and striking her with it in the head and on the knee, before leaving her home.

In a statement read to the court, Webb’s victim said the relationship was now over and “I want nothing more to do with him”.

John Meirion Davies, defending, said Webb, of Milton Place, Machen, had “clearly got a number of problems”.

A psychiatric reports suggested Webb’s childhood and adolescence had been “dreadful” and he had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression, Mr Davies said, adding that Webb’s “situation is anything but straightforward” and he “clearly needs assistance”.

Webb admitted three charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm on his victim at an earlier court appearance.

Sentencing Webb, Judge Timothy Petts said “only immediate custody would be appropriate” for the “particularly serious set of offences”.

The judge was told Webb had 27 previous convictions for 35 offences including several for violence.

He sentenced Webb to a total of two years and one month in prison and made him the subject of an indefinite restraining order not to contact his victim.