A BRUTAL drunk who terrorised his partner in an attack which left her fearing for her life, is behind bars for eight months.

Burnley Crown Court was told Stephen Irvine, 52, had punched victim Eileen Ward and dragged her round the house by her hair, pulling out clumps of it.

He then threw her on a bed, tried to strangle her and forced his fingers inside her mouth until she felt her face was going to be ripped off. Her ordeal ended when he opened the front door and flung her outside.

Irvine had told the victim: “I want to kill you. I will kill you.” Ms Ward had pleaded to be freed. She had shouted at him: “If you don’t let me go, just kill me then.” The victim was to tell the police Irvine had ‘gone mental’ and it was like he was possessed.

The defendant, who has a conviction for harassing Ms Ward, had admitted making threats to kill and assault causing actual bodily harm.

Irvine, of West View, Haslingden, had been committed for sentence by Pennine magistrates. The court was told he started drinking as a teenager and had spent four spells in residential rehabilitation.