A “COWARD” who headbutted his girlfriend and threatened her whilst armed with a pickaxe and potato peeler has been jailed.

Kieron Shaw flew into a jealous rage after accusing his partner of cheating on him and having male friends of Facebook, prosecutor Lisa McCormick said.

The 27-year-old, from Blaenau Gwent, was blasted by Judge David Wynn Morgan at Cardiff Crown Court.

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He told Shaw: “Men who attack women are cowards and you are a coward.

“This was a sustained attack. It was motivated by jealousy and spite.

“You also used the threat of weapons.”

Miss McCormick said the defendant had been on bail for assaulting his partner but breached the conditions by visiting her on Saturday night.

She told the court how Shaw had been ordered not to contact the woman and acted “aggressively” towards her when he went to see her.

A neighbour made a complaint to the police and he was arrested.

Miss McCormick told the judge Shaw carried out a “prolonged assault” on his partner in Abercarn last November during the early hours of the morning.

The defendant, of Ariel Street, Abertillery, had been drinking gin when he unleashed the violence.

The prosecutor said: “The victim and the defendant had been in a relationship for 10 years.

“He attacked her in a fit of jealous rage at 2.30am.

“The defendant grabbed her from behind and she hit her head and fell to the floor.

"He was armed with a red-handled pickaxe and a potato peeler."

Shaw also headbutted her, held her by the neck and “smashed” her mobile phone as she rang for help.

He pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, criminal damage and breach of bail.

Miss McCormick said Shaw had two previous convictions for four offences.

These included assaulting a constable, obstructing a constable, criminal damage and drug-driving.

Ben Watters, mitigating, said: “He expresses his genuine remorse and regret in the pre-sentence report.

“He is quite rightly ashamed and disgusted by his behaviour. He doesn’t control his emotions very well.”

Judge Wynn Morgan also condemned Shaw for the “flagrant” way he had breached his bail conditions and accused him of having a “sense of entitlement”.

Shaw was jailed for eight months.