A MAN has been jailed for two years and three months for his fourth attack on his former partner and an assault on her mother when she intervened to protect her.

Sajad Mahmood had served three previous jail sentences for causing the woman actual bodily harm when he turned up on her doorstep in breach of a restraining order, Bradford Crown Court heard.

Mahmood, 37, of no fixed address, had been drinking and she was too afraid to refuse him entry into her home in Bradford, prosecutor Emma Downing said.

Once inside the address, Mahmood continued to drink alcohol before falling asleep on the sofa.

When he woke, he began shouting at the woman, who covered her face with her hands fearing he was about to attack her.

Mahmood then punched her in the face several times, Miss Downing said.

She dared not ask him to leave so she went out and returned home at 9pm the following day, hoping he had gone.

When Mahmood saw her, he lunged at her and tried to grab her by the hair.

She ran outside, accompanied by her mother, but he pursued them and caught up with them.

It was then that the woman’s mother was assaulted while she was protecting her daughter.

Police officers in the area saw what was happening and Mahmood was arrested.

He pleaded guilty to his second breach of the restraining order, assault by beating and common assault, all between September 15 and 18.

The woman suffered cuts, bruising and a scratched face, the court was told.

Mahmood had three previous convictions for assaulting her occasioning actual bodily harm. He was jailed for four months, 18 months and 20 months. During the last attack, in 2017, he punched her and kicked her in the face five times.

This was his second breach of the restraining order made to protect her.

Mahmood had also been jailed for three years and six years for drugs trafficking and money laundering offences.

His barrister Clare Walsh said he knew he was going to prison.

He was homeless at the time and drink played its part in the offending.

Judge Jonathan Rose told Mahmood: “You are a man incapable of restraining your criminal instincts.”

He labelled him a violent bully with a bad record whose victim was too afraid of him not to allow him into her home.

Judge Rose ordered that the restraining order remain in place without limit of time.