A jilted boyfriend from Newton Abbot has been jailed after he smashed his way into his ex-partner’s home and subjected her to a prolonged attack.

Christopher Kelly locked the victim in her home near Tiverton and hit her with his hand and a chair before chasing her into the street when she finally escaped.

He took a dinner knife from her home which he used to stab a neighbour who went to her rescue, Exeter Crown Court was told.

Kelly has a history of violence against previous partners and was described as controlling and being a high risk in future relationships by a probation assessment.

His victim suffered severe injuries in a car accident a year before his attack, which has exacerbated the post traumatic stress disorder for which she was already being treated.

She was so terrified that she moved out of her home for five weeks and has since installed a panic room and had her bedroom door and windows strengthened.

Kelly, aged 47, of Church Road, Newton Abbot, admitted two counts of actual bodily harm, criminal damage, making threats with a knife, theft and possession of cannabis.

He was jailed for three years by Judge Erik Salomonsen, who also made a restraining order banning any further contact with the victim.

He told him: ’Your victim was extremely vulnerable, as you must have known. This happened at her own home. The aggravating features are your previous convictions, the location of the offence, and your use of alcohol and drugs.

’Victims of domestic abuse often suffer long-term psychological harm. The probation report refers to your controlling behaviour and assesses you as having a high risk of committing further offences of domestic violence.’

Miss Janice Eagles, prosecuting, said the victim realised the relationship with Kelly was not working and ended it shortly after they returned from a short break in Nice.

He bombarded her with calls and texts but she did not change her mind and arranged for him to pick up his belongings from her home at Halberton on October 30 last year.

She asked two friends to be with her but Kelly did not turn up at the agreed time. They had left and the victim had gone to bed when he arrived at 7pm.

He used a rock from her garden pond to smash a conservatory window and then went inside where he attacked her after an argument.

He stopped her leaving and took the door keys and forced her into a bedroom where she feigned illness to escape him. During another argument he slapped her, threw a chair at her, and took her phone and a few hundred pounds.

The woman eventually fled into the street but he followed, carrying a cutlery knife which he used to stab neighbour Stuart Marshall in the leg when he intervened and got Kelly in a headlock.

The victims suffered facial bruising and a small cut beneath the knee. Police found him with a small amount of cannabis when he was arrested nearby.

Mr Paul Dentith, mitigating, said Kelly could not accept the relationship was over and was surprised that he was asked to leave so soon after a successful holiday.

He went by train to pick up his things but stopped at a pub in Halberton on the way and also smoked cannabis before he went there.

He had no intention of attacking his partner and committed the offences in a state of emotional turmoil. His mental state was such that he picked up the knife to use on himself rather than anyone else.

Mr Dentith said Kelly’s problems stem from a very difficult and abusive childhood and his use of drink and drugs as a coping mechanism.