A MAN who attacked his girlfriend and left her fearing for her life was yesterday jailed for six months.

Fiona Grant will receive £501 in compensation after being subjected to a violent attack and locked in a cupboard by Jussia Smith, 26, of The Mead, Darlington.

South Durham Magistrates' Court heard how Smith had become controlling and physically abusive, two months into his relationship with Miss Grant.

David Wilkinson, prosecuting, said the couple had been drinking and arguing on the night of the attack, in June last year. He said: "Miss Grant recalls standing on the stairs and Mr Smith hitting her and punching her in the face with quite a lot of force."

The police arrived at the house and Smith told Miss Grant to get in a cupboard upstairs.

She was found by PC Leanne Thorns crying hysterically and pleading with her to help, fearing Smith would kill her, magistrates in Newton Aycliffe were told.

Miss Grant had bruising and swelling to her face and cuts to her hand. She suffered depression, paranoia and low self-esteem and lost her job shortly after the attack.

Michael Clarke, in mitigation, said the couple were still together.

In November, Smith was found guilty of the assault in his absence. He was also found guilty of driving while disqualified and without insurance in September. He pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to surrender to custody and admitted breaching a community punishment order imposed in February last year for a public order offence.

Smith was sentenced to six months in prison for the assault, five months for driving while disqualified, three months for the breach of the order, which was revoked, and one month for each of the failures to surrender, to run concurrently. He was disqualified from driving for three years.