A THUG who broke into his ex-partner’s home and brutally attacked her only stopped when he was hit over the head with a frying pan.

David John Shorrock forced entry into his victim’s Accrington home, grabbed her by the neck, pulled her hair and pushed her up against a wall leaving her bruised.

But Preston Crown Court heard that Shorrock, who should not have been having any contact with the woman due to a restraining order, only stopped his attack when a friend of the victim hit him over the head with a frying pan.

Recorder Michelle Brown said: “There was a restraining order in place and you continued to call and text her.

"Your texts alternated between you declaring your undying love for her and being offensive and threatening.

“Between the 4th and 5th of October you rang her constantly and she had to turn her phone off. She told you to leave her alone.

“You made threats to her describing how you would kick her head in. She was fearful of your actions and arranged to have a friend to come and stay in her home.

“You turned up at the address and started banging on one door and causing damage before going around to the back door and kicking in the bottom panel – allowing you to crawl in.”

Once inside the house, where the victim’s 14-year-old son was also present, Shorrock grabbed his former partner by the throat before the friend intervened with the aid of the pan.

In retaliation, Shorrock threw a recently boiled kettle of water at the woman while screaming ‘this is not over’.

He then left the house and was tracked down by police at a bus stop.

He was arrested and taken to the Royal Blackburn Hospital for treatment for the injuries he had sustained from the frying pan blow.

But while in police custody, the 34-year-old made a bid for freedom.

Recorder Brown said: “You escaped from custody by leaving the hospital after the police officer uncuffed you because you had complained of being unwell and had been compliant.

“You took advantage while the police officer was distracted.

"Fortunately, you were found a few moments later.”

The court heard how the couple had been in a ‘toxic relationship’ which culminated in a restraining order being put in place in 2018 in order to stop Shorrock contacting his victim.

Sentencing Shorrock, of Castle Street, Hapton, to 16 months in prison for charges of breaching a restraining order, threats to kill, assault causing actual bodily harm and escaping from custody, Recorder Brown said: “The victim received injuries and while I do not have a victim impact statement, I am satisfied this would have been very distressing for her and the 14-year-old.

“I am satisfied this was a toxic relationship which you struggled to stay away from.”