A MAN has been jailed after he engaged in a “prolonged period of intimidation and violent behaviour” towards his then partner.

Aaron Porter, 22, met his girlfriend in 2017 and they had a child together, but between April and September last year he became violent as they argued over finances.

During the five months he headbutted and kicked her, punched her and squeezed her nose, grabbed her throat and banged her head against a door, Winchester Crown Court was told on Thursday.

The judge, Mr Recorder R Harris jailed Porter for 14 months after he pleaded guilty to engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate relationship.

In sentencing, the judge said: “There were a series of violent incidents which left her with bruises to her leg, neck and face.

“It was a prolonged period of intimidation and violent behaviour which was exacerbated with a child being present in the home.

“She (the victim) has lost her self-confidence and turned her mental health, and she is constantly worried about her house.”

Prosecutor Robert Harding said that Porter also bit his girlfriend. On one occasion in an argument, she was “pointing her finger at the defendant during this confrontation he hit her hand, slapped it out the way” and then punched her on the nose.

The court was told that he also pulled the victim across the kitchen and in an incident overheard by the neighbours he was banging and kicking at the house and pulling satellite cables off the house.

In mitigation, Katie Williams said: “This is deeply unpleasant behaviour in any view, he was a very immature young man who used violence in the circumstances where he did not get his own way.

“He has had a very nasty shock both by way of the sentence, he now properly faces, but also because he has finally had to look in the mirror and realise what he is capable of being.”

Porter has completed a behavioural course on domestic abuse to recognise why his behaviour is triggered.

Ms Williams said that he has also moved into his own accommodation having previously lived in Basingstoke YMCA, Eastrop Way, but an address for his new home was not available.

A restraining order has been imposed for five years which prevents Porter from contacting the victim both directly and indirectly.