A man has been jailed after a court heard how he attacked his former partner and then attacked her neighbours when the victim sought refuge in their home.

Nathan James Bennett, 28, entered three houses in Holywell that night – leaving his blood in all three – and assaulted three people.

He also damaged two vehicles and other property during the spree and also stole one victim’s mobile phone when she tried to alert the police.

Bennett, of Park Hall Road in Holywell, already serving a 10-month sentence for knocking a man unconscious in a Holywell street, was jailed for another 27 months.

He admitted three charges of assault, four charges of damage, the theft of a mobile phone and breaching a restraining order not to approach his former partner.

Bennett, who appeared at Mold Crown Court via a live television link from Altcourse Prison in Liverpool, was told by Judge Rhys Rowlands that his behaviour was disgraceful.

Barrister Sarah Badrawy, prosecuting, said Bennett was made the subject of a restraining order in 2015 not to approach former partner Sky Ferguson.

But in the early hours of August 14 she answered a knock at her door when Bennett put his fist through a pane of glass in the door.

He was shouting at her, he punched her to the face, and when she fell to the floor he kicked her.

Bennett damaged the television and she ran out with her child, but he dragged and kicked her.

Next door neighbours Ceri O’Brien and Andrew Brown took her in and she locked herself in an upstairs bathroom.

Bennett used a rock to damage a car outside before forcing his way into the neighbour’s property.

He kicked the door, smashing a window in the door and twice punched Mr Brown to the face.

He grabbed Miss O’Brien by the clothing and tried to pull her out of the door.

Bennett punched her face with a clenched fist and she fell down some steps onto a pathway and later told how she felt completely defenceless as she landed on her side and was kicked in the stomach.

When she tried to phone the police Bennett took her mobile phone.

In a neighbouring street he shouted abuse at a man and followed him into his home making threats. He left kicking the door.

All were extremely frightened by what he had done.

In a victim impact statement Miss Ferguson said she had been left with painful injuries and blurred vision and was extremely anxious and scared.

She felt awful that her neighbours were caught up in what went on.

Miss O’Brien told how she had been left with intense pain in her lower back and could barely walk for the first two weeks.

She had to use a walking stick. The attack had aggravated a pre-existing condition.

Miss Badrawy said Miss O’Brien no longer felt comfortable in her own home and furniture had to be replaced because Bennett’s blood was on it.

Defence barrister Andrew Green said his client knew it had to be custody.

“He accepts what he has done was serious and very wrong,” he said.

Mr Green said Bennett was not sober that night.

Judge Rowlands said the raft of offending took place while he was on bail for the first assault. He recently had received a 10-month sentence.

His former partner had been attacked in her home in breach of a restraining order which was meant to provide her with protection.

When she sought refuge in a neighbour’s home he forced his way in, caused damage and assaulted both neighbours.

The judge said Bennett punched the male complainant and kicked his partner in the stomach while she was on the ground.

Bennett tried to force his way into the bathroom where his former partner had locked herself in.

As he left he accused another neighbour of looking at him and damaged his car before barging into his home. But he thought the better of it and left.

All the offences occurred while he was on bail, he was affected by drink, the offences were committed at night, and there were a number of victims.

Bennett, said Judge Rowlands, had also deliberately breached an order not to contact his ex-partner.