A thug who threatened to pour a kettle of boiling hot water on his pregnant girlfriend has been jailed.

Anthony Hurst, 44, swore at the woman, threw a mobile phone at her face and then made the terrifying threat at their home in Bollington, the court heard.

The assault took place only three months after he had been given a suspended sentence for assaulting the same victim.

The woman had take him back after she found out she was pregnant, the court heard.

Hurst, of Hyde Road, Mottram, admitted assault by beating and breaching a court order.

He was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison.

Debbie Byrne, prosecuting, said the couple had been in a “difficult on-off relationship”.

She said: “The complainant had recently found out Hurst used heroin and had a criminal past.

“While the defendant was in prison she discovered she was pregnant and they decided to make a fresh start. He moved back in but soon afterwards things became strained again. The complainant said that if she did not give him money when he asked he became angry and verbally abuse her. She said she was scared of him and gave him what he wanted to keep him calm.

“On July 17 he asked her for money again. After an argument he left the property slamming the door behind him. She also left the property returning at 9.30pm. The defendant then began abusing her calling her a ‘rat’ and ‘horrible b****’. She described him being in a rant and banging about the house. She said he demanded her phone and threatened to text all her contacts.

He then threw the phone at her hitting her on the cheek. He went to the kitchen and came back with it boiled saying ‘I should pour this all over you, then no one will go near you’.

She feared he would carry out that threat. She managed to run away and call the police.”

In a victim impact statement, the complainant, who has a daughter, said the defendant had become a financial drain because she was feeding his drug habit. She also said that she felt isolated from her family and friends.”

Jenny Field, defending, said Hurst disputed that he was a financial drain.

She said: “He threw the phone recklessly. He has a drug habit but it is under control.”

Hurst was also ordered to pay £150 compensation.