AN ex-prisoner who held a large bread knife to his girlfriend's throat and threatened to kill her is back behind bars.

Burnley Crown Court heard how drunken Anthony Pepper, 34, who had already served three years for offences arising out of his relationship with Donna Reeves, punched the mother of three in the face, causing her to fear for her life.

Pepper was sent to prison for nine months by Judge Ian Webster, who told him he had been very tempted to order that the defendant serve the unexpired portion of the three year sentence, but had decided not to, hoping Pepper had learned his lesson.

Pepper, of Lyndhurst Road, Burnley, admitted affray in June.

Jeremy Grout-Smith, prosecuting, said last February Pepper was sent to prison for three years for arson.

He was released in May and he and Miss Reeves began to see each other again.

Shortly before the incident, the complainant had been at home and received a heavy breathing phone call. She put the phone down and later woke in her bed to find the defendant fully dressed lying beside her. She went downstairs, saw the kitchen window open and told Pepper, who smelled strongly of drink, she wanted him to leave. She picked up the phone, dialled 999 and the defendant shouted at her to put the phone down.

Pepper ran into the kitchen and came back with a large bread knife which he held to Miss Reeves' throat.

He then threatened to kill Miss Reeves and then himself, and she took the knife away after she spoke softly to him.

Pepper then punched his former partner in the face and lunged at her. As a car pulled up outside the house, Pepper struck the woman again and she picked up an ornament and hit him back. He was arrested and told police Miss Reeves had lunged at him.

Mr Grout-Smith said Pepper had received the three year sentence after Miss Reeves was asleep at home and the front door of her home was set alight.

Anthony Cross, defending, said Pepper accepted he had to go to jail. His relationship with Miss Reeves had been troubled but while he was serving the three years they had begun to correspond.

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