A THUG who threatened to burn his partner’s flat down after she threw him out has been jailed for eight months.

Following an argument, 43-year-old Darren Hogg, dressed only in t-shirt and boxer shorts, was locked out of the flat in the early hours of November 7 last year.

And after throwing stones at the windows and yelling, Hogg warned the woman, “I’ll burn your house down”.

Bolton Crown Court heard that Hogg and his partner had been in a relationship for 16 years and he has a history of domestic violence against her, including serving a jail sentence for making threats to kill her, putting a pillow over her face.

David James, prosecuting, said the woman took the arson threat seriously and called the police.

Hogg, of Bryn Walk, Halliwell, was arrested and pleaded guilty to making threats to cause damage.

Tom McKail, defending, said Hogg had been living at the flat and although it was 2.30am and he was inadequately dressed for the cold, making the threat "was a truly idiotic thing for him to say, especially given the history between the parties".

Mr McKail said the pair had been drinking and taking drugs and Hogg did not intend to set the flat on fire.

"He will say these were hollow threats. There was no intention whatsoever to cause damage," said Mr McKail.

"It was a property he was residing at and, of course, would have essentially left both himself and his partner homeless had he gone through with such an endeavour."

Judge John Potter told Hogg that the incident was yet another example of him behaving in a violent and controlling way towards his victim.

"You sought to control her by making a dreadful threat to burn the house down, a threat that, given the way your relationship had developed over those years, she took very seriously," said Judge Potter.

"What you were doing outside the house on November 7 wasn't viewed as some idle or throwaway comment — it was viewed far more seriously than that and understandably so."

Hogg was told that the relationship must come to an end or his behaviour will lead to him spending longer periods in prison.