A violent, jealous and controlling Suffolk man who assaulted two former partners has been jailed for three years.

Glen Martin, who was described as a “Jekyll and Hyde” character, constantly accused one of the women of seeing other men and threatened to “cut her so no-one else would want her” after smashing a glass, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Martin, who was homeless but living in Sudbury, would stay in hotels in the area with the woman.

While they were in a room at the George and Dragon Hotel in Long Melford, he grabbed her hair and pulled her across the bed after accusing her of cheating.

Richard Kelly, prosecuting, said Martin then hit and kicked the woman, causing her to lose consciousness.

As a result of the attack, the woman suffered two black eyes, bruising to her nose and behind her ears and a swollen and cut lip.

On another occasion, Martin smashed a glass and approached her saying he was going to cut her so no-one else would want her.

While they were staying in The Globe Hotel in Clare, he pulled a light out of its socket and threatened to hit her with it.

He also grabbed hold of her hair while they were at the Black Boy pub in Sudbury and poked her in the face with his finger, after accusing her of seeing other men.

After asking the woman to drive him to Bury St Edmunds, he punched her in the face while they were in a car park at the bus station and then repeatedly hit her about the head in the car park at The Range.

As they drove away from The Range, Martin grabbed the woman’s throat and threatened to set her on fire - before grabbing the steering wheel causing the car to hit the kerb.

Mr Kelly said Martin hit another former partner in the face with her phone after accusing her of speaking to another man.

On another occasion, she suffered cuts to her hands after trying to stop him smashing up her home during another violent outburst.

He also picked up a hammer and swung it at her, making her to fear he was going to kill her.

Martin, 40, of no fixed address, admitted a string of offences including criminal damage, common assault, assault causing actual bodily harm, making a malicious and threatening communication and theft.

The court heard that Martin had 82 previous convictions spanning 21 years, including offences of robbery and violence.

David Wilson, for Martin, accepted there was no sensible alternative to a prison sentence for the “catalogue of offences” committed by his client.

He described him as a “Jekyll and Hyde” character and said the offences were committed against a background of alcohol and drug abuse.