A JEALOUS and obsessive lover made the life of his terrified ex-girlfriend a misery by repeatedly harassing her and assaulting her over a period of months.
"Possessive" Karl Read, 34, also knocked a man she was dancing with unconscious at a nightclub after attacking him in a "callous, peevish act of revenge", a court heard.
He made use of his strength as a cage fighter and his training in martial arts during the unprovoked attack.
The father-of-four, of Boulevard Avenue, Grimsby, admitted assaulting Simon Drury, causing actual bodily harm, on November 18.
He also admitted harassing Samantha Clayton between July 31 and November 24, and damaging an ironing board, belonging to her, between May 30 and August 1.
Stephen Welch, prosecuting, told Grimsby Crown Court that Read became increasingly jealous when Miss Clayton ended their relationship and later harassed her with text messages.
Miss Clayton went to the Musika nightclub, Grimsby, and met Mr Drury.
They began talking and went on to the dance floor but Read suddenly punched Mr Drury in the face from behind, knocking him unconscious. He grabbed Miss Clayton and pushed her against a wall.
Read later went to her home and was shouting loudly. He yelled: "You knew I would catch you."
He shouted abuse and headbutted a window, causing the glass to splinter.
Read sent a series of text messages, including ones reading: "Always catch a dirty rat" and "The next one will get far worse than the last one did, that's for sure." She was twice assaulted by Read during the harassment.
Miss Clayton later said in a statement: "This is a horrible situation to be in. I can't invite my family and friends to the house out of fear and embarrassment of Karl coming round.
"I feel like a prisoner in my own home. I have to have the doors locked at all times."
Read had a history of violence, including offences against former girlfriends and their boyfriends.
Andrew Bailey, mitigating, said Read landed a "single, unpleasant, hard blow" on Mr Drury, who was knocked briefly unconscious.
"The motivation was clearly out of jealousy," said Mr Bailey.
"He suffered a nasty injury. It was a nasty example of harassment. It includes assaults. He accepts he had difficulty coming to terms with the end of the relationship."
Read had been in a new relationship for three months. He had a "sporting career" as a cage fighter and normally trained seven days a week.
Judge David Tremberg told Read: "If you think you are above the law, you are not."
He added: "You are a possessive, jealous, obsessive individual who has demonstrated a disposition to misuse your talents to intimidate and control. "Over a period of months, you made the life of your ex-partner a misery." The attack on Mr Drury was a "callous, peevish act of revenge designed to warn Samantha Clayton that she could only live her life as far as you would allow her to do so". "You caused her serious emotional harm over a period of time so that she felt a prisoner in her own home."Read was jailed for two years and three months and was given a three-year restraining order, banning him from contacting Miss Clayton or going near her home.
