A VIOLENT boyfriend repeatedly attacked his girlfriend and bombarded her with threatening text messages, a court heard.

Sam Dawkins, 28, flew into a rage, then punched and kicked Emma Hammerlsey when she visited his home in Furness Close, Grays, on June 2.

A week later Dawkins - who has a previous conviction for common assault - kicked Ms Hammersley, 27, in the hand, fracturing her wrist in two places, because she had refused to go to the park with him.

Basildon Crown Court also heard Dawkins sent Ms Hammersley 33 text messages and five voicemails, some of which threatened to harm her and members of her family.

Ms Hammersley has since ended their rocky, three-year relationship.

Judge Michael Brooke QC decided not to send Dawkins to jail. He had already been in prison on remand for nine months.

Instead, he told Dawkins to keep away from his victim for five years and to attend a 12-month anger management course, drug rehab sessions and a domestic abuse programme.

He sentenced Dawkins to nine months in prison, but suspended it for two years.

He told Dawkins: "You have not been given a community package before to deal with your problems and the time has come for you to be given that chance.

"What you need to understand is it is now up to you.

"I am giving you another chance, with a lot of resources and input from the probation service to help you.

"They are experts, and reasonable people.

"If you co-operate with them, they will co-operate with you.

"Hopefully, a lot of good will be done."

Judge Brooke QC said he had taken into account the fact Dawkins had served the equivalent of a nine-month prison sentence.

Dawkins pleaded guilty to battery, inflicting grievous bodily harm and putting people in fear of violence at an earlier hearing.