A THUG who repeatedly attacked his girlfriend and tried to control her life was told by a judge that he had “demeaned” himself.

Judge John Edwards told Leon Richmond, who appeared at Minshull Street Crown Court via a video link from prison, that his behaviour had been “alarming to say the least”.

He added: “This was nothing short of a campaign of degrading, demeaning, violent behaviour towards her.

“Unbeknown to you, of course, by behaving in this way, not only do you demean her, but you demean yourself as a man. It is cowardly and it is not acceptable.”

Richmond, aged 26, of Victoria Grove, Bolton, pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm, three assaults and coercive and controlling behaviour.

The Bolton News: Leon RichmondLeon Richmond

David Farley, prosecuting, told the court how, Richmond and his victim began a relationship in May 2020 and moved in together to Olive Lane, Darwen, two months later.

But within weeks the relationship was going wrong and on October 29, 2020, Richmond put his hands around his partner’s neck, strangled her and broke her phone, telling her she had brought it on herself.

He also grabbed her by the hair, tried to choke her and stamped on her, leaving her with a cut chin and eye.

“She works as a teaching assistant and had to disguise her injuries,” said Mr Farley.

Mr Farley added that, on one occasion Richmond was driving his partner to her mother’s house in Bolton when he forced her out of the car in the middle of nowhere before eventually going back to pick her up.

On November 19, 2020 she started receiving Snapchat messages from him.

“He said he had attended her school and told colleagues that she smoked cannabis every morning,” said Mr Farley, who added that Richmond also told his victim he was going to kill her by running her over.

While staying at an apartment in Manchester on December 20, 2020, Richmond started an argument, smashed his partner’s phone against a wall, strangled her and bit her cheek before throwing £200 of her money out of the window.

In January the woman, who was pregnant by this time, decided to leave Richmond but he threatened to ruin her life if she did and on January 25, 2021, while staying at the Ibis Hotel in Manchester he flew into a rage, hurled abuse at her and pressed his car key into her eyelid before pouring Coca Cola over her head.

The next day he grabbed her chest, bit her and stubbed out a cigarette on her temple.

Mr Farley said the following month he drove at her, leaving her feeling constantly frightened.

After the pair moved into a flat at Salford Quays in April 2021, Richmond again assaulted her after a night out, dragging her onto the floor and strangling her, then blaming her for “making me do this”.

And after she had complained to the police she said she was traumatised when Richmond threatened to post intimate pictures of her online unless she withdrew her allegations.

The court heard that Richmond has previous convictions for several offences, including violence.

Rachel White, defending, said Richmond had suffered an abusive childhood but is now showing genuine remorse and insight into his own behaviour.

“He acknowledges he has many issues to address,” said Miss White.

Judge Edwards sentenced Richmond to two years and four months in prison and made a restraining order banning him from contacting his victim.

“Please, when you come out of custody, behave properly towards women you meet,” the judge told him.