A MOTHER feared for her life during a terrifying six-hour ordeal during which her “jealous and controlling” partner held her prisoner in her home, a court has heard.

Today Domenic Denton, 30, of Glamorgan Road, Ipswich, is behind bars after being jailed for three-and-a-half years for the horrific attack.

During the incident, which took place on Christmas Eve, Denton dragged Cherrie Adams round the house and at one stage pinned her down on a bed and squeezed her throat so tightly that she couldn’t breathe, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Denton, 30, also bit Miss Adams on the nose and lips and slapped, punched and kicked her while questioning her about having a relationship with another man, said Martyn Levett, prosecuting.

At one stage Miss Adams’ sister called round to drop off some Christmas presents and sensed something was wrong when Miss Adams only opened the door a little way and wouldn’t let her see her face or make eye contact with her.

After the incident Miss Adams, who was living in Plover Road, Ipswich, said: “I didn’t know if I was going to come out alive. I’d never felt such fear in my life.”

Denton, of Glamorgan Road, Ipswich admitted falsely imprisoning Miss Adams, assaulting her causing her actual bodily harm, taking her car without consent and possession of cannabis.

Jailing him for three-and-a-half years and banning him from driving for 12 months Recorder Christopher Morgan said that during the incident Denton had taken away her mobile telephone and keys to stop her communicating with anyone.

He said Denton had been paranoid and jealous and had held Miss Adams prisoner in her home after deciding to confront her about his suspicion that she was seeing another man,

“The courts don’t tolerate domestic violence under any circumstances,” said the judge.

Mr Levett told the court the couple had been in a relationship until 2009 when Denton was banned by a court from contacting her for two years after he was convicted of battery on her.

The couple, who have a child together, began seeing each other again in February 2011 and the relationship continued until mid-September last year when Denton’s behaviour started to change for the worse, said Mr Levett.

He described Denton, who was living with another woman at the time of the offences, as jealous and controlling.

Miss An Omideyi for Denton said the incident wasn’t planned and had been an emotional response to his suspicion that Miss Adams was seeing someone else.