A VIOLENT man threatened to put his former partner 'in a box six feet under' after assaulting her and stealing her car.

Richard Batterham took Angela Humphreys' car before abandoning the vehicle in a field a short distance from her home on Dee Road after the dispute in December last year.

In a fit of rage, Batterham demanded money for work carried out on her mobile home.

She had already given him a portion of the £3,000, but when she failed to pay the full amount immediately he threatened to 'smash her face in' and said he would sell her car if she didn't pay him.

Louise Johnson, prosecuting, said: "There was a violent relationship between the defendant and the victim for three years.

"He carried out work on her mobile home and when she failed to produce the money owed he used violence and threatening behaviour to get what he wanted.

"He pushed and dragged her back to her home. She was aware of his violent past and he said if she ever went to the police, he would put her in a box six feet under."

The 53-year-old picked up rocks and said he would throw them at the windows if she refused to give him the £2,000 he felt he was owed.

When the victim attempted to walk away he managed to grab her car keys from her handbag following the assault.

At Reading Crown Court on Friday, April 21, Justin McClintock, defending, said: "He has served the equivalent of four months already.

"He was granted conditional bail when this first came to court but he broke the condition of not contacting Ms Humphreys and was remanded in custody."

Batterham of Queen's Close, Old Windsor, was convicted of one count of assault by beating and one count of taking a vehicle without consent and was sentenced to one month in prison.

Judge Patrick Hamlin added: "These are abysmal offences. You assaulted her and took her car without consent.

"It was common ground that payment was expected, but when the money wasn't readily available you threatened her."