A MAN "kidnapped" his pregnant ex-partner at midnight, terrorised her and held her captive in a Burnley wood, a court was told.

Neil Rainford's vulnerable victim Kirsten Heppell was threatened with rape, forced to spend part of the night in a ditch and hit in the stomach during her ordeal.

Ms Heppell finally escaped when Rainford, who had had a cocktail of heroin and valium, fell asleep and she ran off, arriving at the defendant's brother's home hysterical and covered in mud, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Rainford, 25, was given 52 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, with two years supervision, a curfew, a nine month drug rehabilitation programme and the community domestic violence programme.

Judge Simon Newell slammed his behaviour as "desperately unpleasant and particularly nasty."

The defendant, of Athol Street North, Burnley, admitted false imprisonment, on July 13.

Sarah Statham, prosecuting, said Ms Heppell was five months pregnant by Rainford at the time.Their five year relationship ended in July and she went to stay with Rainford's brother and girlfriend. The defendant turned up, wanting to chat to the victim and about half past midnight asked Ms Heppell to go for a walk with him. She told him it was over and Rainford just "flipped."

He then grabbed her wrist, dragged her up the street, told warned her not to scream and told her :"I am going to put you through as much pain as you have put me through." Rainford headbutted her, pulled her into a nearby alleyway, punched her in the stomach and said he would kick the baby out of her.

Miss Statham said the defendant then dragged Ms Heppell into a wood and made her sit in a ditch for hours as he made threats and said he would attack her if she tried to run off. He had 41 previous convictions.

Joe Boyd, defending, said Rainford, who had been "letting off steam in a particularly nasty way," deeply regretted his actions.