A MAN who repeatedly attacked his girlfriend, telling her “I like hurting you”, sobbed in the dock at Bolton Crown Court as he was sentenced.

Judge Graeme Smith heard how Jack Morris, aged 20, of Crompton Way, Bolton, discouraged his girlfriend from having a phone, criticised her clothes and stopped her going to college.

Juliet Berry, prosecuting, said that on December 19 he slapped and punched her before dragging her by the hair to the bedroom. He repeatedly assaulted her in a two hour ordeal and left her with injuries including a black eye.

While on bail for the offence he assaulted her again in a similar way on January 7, asking her, “Why have you made me do this again?” .

Morris pinned her down and spat in her face before pushing his fingers into her mouth, telling her, “I like seeing you hurt — I like hurting you.”

The following day he attacked her once more, punching her in the head and face.

In a statement read in court Morris' victim said: "I'm scared and on eggshells. All I have had is misery."

On the day of his trial Morris pleaded guilty to two counts of causing actual bodily harm, assault and criminal damage.

Andrew Costello, defending, stressed Morris is of previous good character.

“He is a young 20 and he recognises there is a good deal of growing up to be done,” said Mr Costello

Describing the relationship between Morris and his girlfriend as “toxic”, he added: “It was a relationship that should have ended a long time before it did.”

Sentencing Morris to 45 weeks in a young offenders’ institute, Judge Smith told him: “I hope you are ashamed having heard the details [of the offending] read out."

He added: "Even now you are seeking to minimise certain aspects of your behaviour."