Thug jailed after threat to hurl woman from 10th floor of flats

Hannah Alton went home with Mark Jones whom she had known for three months, a judge heard.

The 35-year-old hit her across the face several times after getting drunk, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

The attacker grabbed her round the throat before putting a carving knife to her neck and threatening to kill her, prosecutor Mr Jasvir Mann said.

Jones then dragged his victim towards the balcony of his 10th-floor flat saying he was going to throw her over the edge.

But the court heard she managed to break free and locked herself in the bathroom until he fell into a drunken stupor. She then texted a friend who came to take her away.

Mr Mark Nicholls, defending, said: "Jones is quite a nice person but turns into a very different character when in drink."

Jones from Stoney Lane, Bloxwich, who had a string of previous convictions for violence, including being jailed for three years for assaulting and threatening to kill another person in 2006, admitted assault and making threats to kill.

He was sent to prison by Judge Martin Walsh who told him: "You had been in a relationship with the woman involved on this occasion for about three months. When she went to your flat you had been drinking. She stayed at your flat where violence occurred.

"You became abusive and hostile, hitting her across the face several times, placed your hand round her neck, then put a carving knife against her neck saying you were going to kill her.

"You were 10 floors up and she had a genuine fear of being thrown off the balcony. Then she managed to lock herself in the bathroom until you fell into a drunken sleep whereupon she sent a text message to a friend who came to collect her.

"The whole incident lasted over several hours and although she did not sustain serious injury she was terrified."