Victim and ex-partner of Castleford thug pleaded with judge to lift contact order

But Martin Coleman, who has a history of violence against the woman, was warned by Judge Robin Mairs at Leeds Crown Court this week: “If you lift your hand to her or cause any kind of trouble, I will hammer you. And I mean that.”

Prosecutor Hana Ahmed said the couple had been in relationship for around 18 months, but there was an “extensive domestic history”.

It led to the five-year restraining order being put in place in April of this year to keep him away from the woman whom he violently attacked. He also received an 18-month sentence, suspended for 24 months.

Coleman appeared in court after admitting multiple breaches of the restraining order. He was only released from prison in June for a previous breach, but contacted her the same day, then went to stay at her home.

She called the police on June 16 after he threatened to take an overdose during an argument.

In an unusual step, Judge Mairs permitted Coleman’s partner to give evidence in court after she indicated she wanted the restraining order lifting.

She said: “His issues are through alcohol but he is capable of managing that. I’m not justifying his behaviour, but this has scared him. I would know straight away to ring the police if he became violent.”

A pre-sentence report indicated that father-of-three, of Frisian Close, Castleford, had stopped drinking.

Judge Mairs opted to scrap the order, but gave him another six-months’ jail, suspended for 21 months, to run alongside his existing suspended sentence. He also gave him 30 rehabilitation days and ordered him to enrol on the Building Better Relationships domestic violence programme.

He reserved the case to himself and made it plain he would jail Coleman if he steps out of line. He added: “This won’t go before any other judge. If you breach it, you will come before me and I will send you to custody for as long as I possibly can.

"For reasons best known to herself, she seems to want some relationship with you. You have an appalling record but there seems no practicable point in keeping the restraining order because both of you will breach it.”