A MAN who assaulted his girlfriend and allegedly said he would kill her was jailed for a year.

Newport Crown Court heard that Darren Bates, 41, of Kensington Place, Newport, said he would kill his then girlfriend Gemma Pember during an assault on August 14 last year.

The court was told that referring to himself he told her: “Darren is going to wake up to your corpse in the morning.”

Bates, who takes medication for a personality disorder, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm but denied making threats to kill, a charge which was left to lie on the file.

The court heard he became jealous after Miss Pember returned from a holiday. He arrived at her home in Newport at around 1am, banging on the door shouting to be let in.

Gareth James, prosecuting, said he swore at her and went upstairs.

“Whilst he was upstairs he pushed Miss Pember on to the bed,” he said.

“He told her “You’re going to die, I’m going to kill you. Don’t look at me while I’m taking the life from your last breath.”

The defendant had his hands over her mouth and nose, and began to refer to himself in the third person, said Mr James.

“She thought she was going to die,” he said. “At that stage the defendant changed completely. He tried to hug and kiss her. She managed to get up. The defendant got up and smacked her really hard to the right jaw area.”

Miss Pember was left with injuries to her neck, shoulder and lower back.

Hywel Hughes, defending, said his client clearly had a personality disorder and had not been taking his medication at the time of the offence.

Judge Richard Twomlow sentenced Bates to 12 months in prison and imposed a restraining order preventing Bates from contacting Miss Pember.

He was also ordered to pay a £100 victim surcharge.