FORMER pub landlord David Gareth Butler launched four separate attacks on his partner - including one when he cracked her ribs by stamping on her.

Michelle Teale went back to him - but ended up with severe injuries.

Butler, 34, now of Heol Aber Wennol at Borth near Aberystwyth, was jailed for 15 months after he admitted three assaults and one charge of grievous bodily harm.

Judge Huw Daniel, sitting at Mold Crown Court told Butler he had humiliated, injured, and treated his partner appallingly badly.

'These were violent and vicious assaults,' the judge declared.

He took into account his guilty pleas, the fact the offences went back to 2002 and the fact the relationship between Butler and the woman he treated so badly was now over.

Prosecuting barrister Brett Williamson said Butler was a relief pub manager who worked all over the country. He met Miss Teale and she gave up her work in order to work for him.

The first attack occurred in June 2002 when they worked at a pub in Stevenage when he lost his temper, grabbed her and threw her onto the floor, and kicked and punched her to the back and arms.

She ran to the toilets to try and escape but he chased after her, pinned her against the wall and punched the wall behind her before punching her to the face, above the left eye.

Despite that attack, they remained together and the second attack occurred at a pub in Essex.

They returned to find staff had not cleaned up properly, he wanted to do it immediately while she wanted to do it in the morning, and he pulled her by the hair, actually pulling hair out.

While on the floor he punched and kicked her. She described him 'booting' her all over her body and head.

That night she climbed out of a window to escape. He later told her it was her own fault, and she should have cleared up the mess in the pub, said Mr Williamson.

In November 2002 the couple took over the tenancy of the Talbot Inn in Rhos and it was there the most serious attack of all took place.

On December 23 he returned home from drinking, grabbed her from behind, dragged her off a bar stool, and stamped on her ribs, fracturing two of them. He kicked and punched her - and then poured himself a pint as if nothing had happened.

She was in agony over Christmas and on Boxing Day despite her fractured ribs he told her to work.

When another member of staff said Miss Teale was not well, he wrongly assumed she had told the staff member about the attack - and assaulted her again. He grabbed her, threw her to the floor and kicked her.

She complained she could not breathe but he called her names and started to drag her around.

She ran out and called family for help and he ordered her back in, telling her it was her own fault.

In addition to the fractured ribs she had a punctured lung, severe bruising and other injuries, the court was told.

The relationship had a traumatic effect on her and she was receiving anti-depressants and counselling.

Defending barrister Myles Wilson said the offences had occurred during a period fraught with difficulties.