A HEROIN user attacked his girlfriend and threatened to kill her following a number of rows, a court heard.

Kristian French, 30, pulled Stacey Dixon by the hair after he locked himself out of their Newport flat and forced her to the ground.

Days later, he phoned, insulting her, and telling her he would put a knife in her gullet.

French appeared at Cwmbran Magistrates Court, where he was due to stand trial on a charge of assault by beating.

He had previously denied it but pleaded guilty to sending, by a public communication network, an offensive, obscene or menacing message.

On the day of trial, he changed his plea to guilty. Prosecutor Steve Lane told the court the attack happened on April 1 when the pair, who were in an on/off relationship, were living together.

French, who had started smoking heroin, locked both sets of keys inside the flat, which led to them having an argument in the hallway.

Mr Lane said French grabbed her by the hair and pulled, causing her to fall over and burn her hand on a radiator as she tried to get up.

He also yelled insults at her, calling her stupid, before she ran to her car and drove off.

On April 6, French called Miss Dixon, who was at a friend’s house, and began yelling at her to come home.

The court heard he said “If you ring the police and I’ll kill you, I’ll put a knife in your gullet and pull all the fat out.”

Paul Morris, for French, said French made these remarks in jest and never intended to kill anyone. Mr Morris said he was “very remorseful.”

French, now of Heol Las, Coiti, Bridgend, pleaded guilty on the basis that he grabbed Miss Dixon by the shoulders, not the throat, during the assault.

Magistrates adjourned his sentence until June 26 for a pre-sentence report to be prepared and granted French conditional bail.