A criminal who was on bail for assaulting a paramedic went on the run from police after battering his girlfriend and mother of his two children.

Prolific offender Emile Nicol, 26, assaulted a paramedic when they were called to his home in 2022 in relation to a suspected cardiac arrest, Preston Crown Court heard.

Nicol was unresponsive as ambulance technicians tried to rouse him, but lashed out and kicked one of them in the leg as he came round.

Prosecuting, Harriet Tighe said he refused treatment and left the property.

It was while on bail for that offence that on June 6 this year he turned up at the home of his girlfriend, the mother of his children, who he was not supposed to be in contact with.

Ms Tighe told the court: “When he arrived, she was sitting on the back step having a cigarette, and had a two-month-old at home.

"This caused her some concern. She tried to get inside the property, but he pushed the door and pushed past her.

“He kicked and punched her to her head and forearms.

“The defendant then got hold of the dog round the throat which caused a child to cry, and the defendant responded by shouting, ‘shut that kid up, it’s not my baby, f*****g ugly thing’.

“The victim then threw his belongings at him which appears to be the reason he had gone round, but he carried on assaulting her.

“At this point the victim’s phone rang and it was her mother. She told her mother what was happening, and the police were called.

“The defendant then left but not before throwing a mop bucket of bleach over his victim.”

Just two weeks later, on June 21, the victim went to visit Nicol, whose mood she said seemed very up and down and he was argumentative,

Ms Tighe went on: “He said he was going to hand himself in to the police as he was wanted for the assault on her a couple of weeks back, but then he became aggressive and another assault began.

“He kicked the victim and punched her all over, which she described as being constant, before accusing her of sleeping with someone else.”

The court was told the situation escalated and Nicol pulled out a knife and stabbed his victim in the leg.

She then left the house, but Nicol jumped in a taxi with her before they both got out and he assaulted her again.

Ms Tighe said: “She knocked on a random person’s door who gave her a lift to her mum’s house and the police were called.

“The victim says she has flashbacks and nightmares after the incident and she still suffers pain in her leg.”

Nicol, of New Wellington Street, Blackburn, was arrested and interviewed on June 22 but denied the allegations put to him.

He has 23 convictions for 35 offences, with Ms Tighe saying he has a pattern of domestic violence against current and previous partners.

Mitigating, Neil Howard said his client had had a tumultuous upbringing, with his sister being murdered some years ago and his brother taking his own life the following year.

He said he had a close relationship with his mother and his grandmother, but his life had been blighted by alcohol and class A drugs.

He said: “Given the trauma he’d endured he’s always suffered from depression and was diagnosed bipolar and self-medicates with alcohol and drugs.”

Nicol was convicted at a lower court of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assault by beating, using violence to secure entry to a property and assault of an emergency worker, and at crown court was jailed for two years and three months.

He was also handed a five year restraining order in respect of his victim.