A BRAVE woman came face-to-face with the drunken ‘monster’ who spat in her face, wielded a cleaver in her home and left her afraid for her life.

Sophie Cale was praised for her courage by a judge after she faced her partner,

Ian Evans, at Worcester Crown Court, recounting her 'terrifying' ordeal at his hands. Evans also damaged property with a screwdriver and cleaver, tried to fight a neighbour who asked him to keep the noise down and shouted that everyone in Elgar Avenue in Malvern was 'useless'.

The 38-year-old of Elgar Avenue had already admitted possession of a bladed article, common assault, two counts of criminal damage and using threatening, insulting or abusive words or behaviour when he appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Friday to be sentenced.

Michael Conry, prosecuting, said Evans’s partner returned home on her moped after finishing her shift shortly before midnight on July 26 this year.

When Evans asked if she was alright Miss Cale said: “No, not really, you’ve been drinking.” The 38-year-old replied: “Yeah, yeah, I've been drinking. What are you going to do about it?”

Mr Conry said the victim tried to ignore Evans but he shouted abuse at her and was overheard by a next door neighbour who called police. Officers spoke to Evans who agreed he would be quiet. However, once the police left ‘things got bad again’ said Mr Conry.

“He spat in her face, calling her useless. She described it as a phlegmy spit which landed on the bridge of her nose” said Mr Conry.

Evans went downstairs and into the street, shouting ‘everyone in Elgar is useless’. He was told to keep the noise down by neighbour Ben Porter who had to get up for work at 6am. Evans replied: “Why should I?”

Mr Conry described Evans as wanting to fight but Mr Porter made it clear he was not going to get involved and closed the door.

“The defendant’s response was to bang the door and hack at it with a knife, causing damage to it” said Mr Conry.

The court heard how one of Evans’s neighbours, Georgia Taylor, had a panic attack, fearful of what Evans would do with the knife. Evans returned to his own house. His partner, Miss Cale was described as being fearful he would kill her. She said: “I thought he was going to stab me.”

Evans was carrying a Chinese cleaver in his right hand a screwdriver in his left, hacking the bedroom door with the cleaver and stabbing it with the screwdriver. Evans was heard to say: “If I get sent to prison, you’re going to pay for it.”

In police interview Evans said he had been drinking Frosty Jack’s cider since 8.30pm. Sophie Cale read out her victim personal statement in court.

She said: “Since the incident I find it difficult to sleep.” She said she did not eat properly and felt on edge even though she knew Evans was in prison, jumping if the postman came to the door. “When I close my eyes I can see him in my bedroom with the knife” she said.

Miss Cale also suffered hair loss and broke down at work.

In total Evans caused £670 of damage to Fortis Living property.

Curtis Myrie, defending, said of the father-of-three: “He was heavily intoxicated at the time. When he does drink he goes way beyond what would be responsible drinking. He accepted the offences at a very early stage, entering guilty pleas at the magistrates court.”

The offences also placed him in breach of a suspended sentence order for burglary, an order he had breached once already. Evans was originally sentenced to 12 weeks suspended for 12 months but this was extended to 24 weeks suspended for 15 months following an earlier breach.

Evans had gained access through an insecure door to a three storey property when the occupier was present who chased him from the building.

Judge Jim Tindal said the offences happened only 10 days after his suspended sentence was extended.

He described the offence as 'appalling domestic abuse' and said, under the influence of alcohol, Evans had become 'an aggressive, violent, drunken monster'.

"It must have been terrifying for Miss Cale as she vividly explained in her statement, showing a huge amount of courage in facing you down after what you did to her" he said.

The judge jailed him for 12 months and imposed a restraining order to protect the victim and neighbours.