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A man who threatened to kill his ex-partner with a sword, strangled her and jumped on her stomach when she thought she pregnant has been jailed for 20 months.

Jordan Samuel Spence, from Lawnbrook Drive in Belfast, carried out the attack at his home on 9 March last year.

The 32-year-old, who has a history of domestic violence against women, had pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and other offences.

The judge at Belfast Crown Court ordered Spence to serve a further 20 months on licence when he is released from prison.

The attack began when Spence and his victim, who were no longer in a relationship, got into a verbal argument.

When the woman tried to leave his home, Spence slammed the front door shut, grabbed her thumb and pulled her arm back.

He then pushed her over, jumped on her stomach and punched her twice in the face.

When the victim bit Spence in self-defence he stamped on her mobile phone, smashed it with a hammer and threw it in a mop bucket.

The woman then tried to get out through the back door but Spence pulled her back and locked the door with a padlock.

After punching the victim repeatedly in the face and strangling her, Spence picked up a sword and threatened to kill her.

He allegedly told her: "I am going to cut you into bits and hide you where no-one will find you."

The woman managed to escape and raise the alarm by stopping a member of the public.

When police went to speak to her they saw she had a number of injuries including swelling to her face and thumb and marks on her neck.

In addition to admitting assault, Spence pleaded guilty to criminal damage, threats to kill and false imprisonment - all aggravated by reason of domestic abuse.

When the judge queried whether or not the victim was pregnant, a prosecution barrister said that could not be proven but explained "the case that the defendant has accepted is that she thought she was pregnant and he knew that".

In her victim impact statement, the woman spoke of having flashbacks, nightmares, depression and anxiety as a result of the attack.

During the sentencing hearing it emerged that Spence has 43 previous convictions some of which involved domestic violence.

He also has chronic mental health issues and problems with drug misuse.

A defence barrister told the court that Spence witnessed and was the victim of domestic violence during his childhood and "is a man who needs help and assistance as much as he needs punishment".

Jailing him, the judge also imposed a five-year restraining order which bans Spence from contacting his former partner.