A BULLYING boyfriend was behind bars last night for what a judge described as "appalling" behaviour directed towards a long-suffering partner.

Jussia Smith was jailed for 20 months for two incidents involving his now ex-girlfriend, who was kicked, slapped and head-butted.

Judge Howard Crowson yesterday told the 33-year-old, of Killinghall Street, Darlington: "Courts have to protect people from people like you."

Teesside Crown Court heard how Smith has "a considerable record" of domestic violence and was given a restraining order in May this year.

He breached the order within two months, and again in August when he attacked his partner after a trip to the cinema, said prosecutor Jenny Haigh.

After leaving the Darlington picture house - where Smith fell asleep at the start of the film - he slapped and kicked his girlfriend in front of another couple.

Miss Haigh told Judge Crowson that the terrified victim was head-butted and fell to the ground as Smith yelled at her: "That's it, we're finished."

Smith was also dealt with for using threatening, insulting or abusive words or behaviour during another fallout with his partner in January.

He was caught on camera in the grounds of Darlington Memorial Hospital where he was involved in an incident that left his victim with a cut nose.

Smith admitted charges of disorderly conduct, common assault and breaching a restraining order and returned to court yesterday to be sentenced.

The judge told him: "You have a bad record for behaving in a violent way towards partners. There are issues in your life which you are not treating well.

"You have had over the years many attempts by the courts to try to assist you to behave in a more appropriate way - suspended sentences and community orders, which don't seem to have worked, and the restraining order, carrying the threat of prison, didn't work either.

"By now, you must understand that courts have lost patience with you and prison is the only possible way of dealing with you. This was quite appalling violence."

Kieran Rainey, mitigating, said Smith was not planning for a reconciliation, but was looking forward to seeing his ten-month-old son upon release.

"He realises he has thrown away not just one but two good opportunities the court has given him, " said Mr Rainey. "He didn't take advantage of them."