A 'narcissistic' former football prospect turned gambling addict stabbed his ex's car with a knife, breaking the back windscreen which showered a terrified child inside in broken glass, cutting her.

Ryan Dixon was threatening to self-harm with a knife when he drove the blade through the back window of his ex's car, leaving it lodged in the back seat.

The 25-year-old of Battleton Road, Evesham, admitted a string of offences against her when he appeared over prison videolink at Worcester Crown Court on Friday.

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He had already pleaded guilty to possession of a knife, four counts of assault by beating and four counts of criminal damage.

Amiee Parkes, prosecuting, said in the early hours of July 3 last year Dixon started kicking his former partner's front door, entered, pulled over a wardrobe, causing damage both to the wardrobe and the injured party's bedroom wall.

On August 16 last year she discovered Dixon was 'messaging other women and described the contents of the messages as being of a sexual nature'.

This led to her confronting him about the messages and 'a heated argument began' during which he 'kicked her in the upper right arm, knocking her off balance'. She suffered 'a large bruise to her upper right arm'.

Dixon refused to leave her home on September 19 last year, resulting in 'another heated argument' during which he swore at her and told her 'he would smash her house up'.

"He has kicked her in the stomach" said Miss Parkes.

On October 3 last year she picked Dixon up from Badsey Cricket Club 'after he had been drinking all day'. In the car he punched the central console, damaging the air vent.

Dixon accused her of 'talking to other people' on October 10 last year. "He demanded to know where she had been the night before and who she had spoken with. She started to defend herself, telling the defendant she had not done anything wrong or spoken to any other male and she had been out with girlfriends. He had continued to be abusive so she asked him to leave the house.

"The defendant reached out and grabbed her right thigh with his hand. That has caused her to sustain a slight scratch and bruising" said Miss Parkes.

On October 10 last year he pinned her by the shoulders and she told him to leave her home. "He has picked up a knife to harm himself" said the prosecutor.

A few days later, on October 16, Dixon was described as 'agitated'. He started shouting and swearing and punching a wall, breaking some plastic inserts, telling her 'nobody cares about me' before 'picking up a knife and using it to harm himself by cutting his right forearm'.

The victim was outside her property with her child on November 27 last year when the defendant arrived in a taxi and was described as 'drunk due to him wobbling around'.

She told him he could not stay. "He kept saying 'I love you, I want to stay the night with you'," said Miss Parkes.

"She moved the defendant into the house and tried to reason with him. This did not work and she decided to leave with the child, leaving Mr Dixon in the house. As she reversed, she noticed the defendant stood in the doorway holding one of her kitchen knives."

Dixon followed the car as the victim drove away. She heard glass smash, turning around to see a hole in the rear windscreen. She drove to a friend's house and noticed her daughter 'had a small cut on her head made by glass that had come from the window'. The kitchen knife was found wedged between the two back seats.

"Mr Dixon had thrust the knife into the car" said Miss Parkes.

Dixon had two previous convictions for four offences including a section five public order and breach of a non-molestation order.

Michael Aspinall, defending, said his client had had a promising sporting career until it was cut short by injury. "He isn't a risk or danger to the public," he said.

However, Judge James Burbidge QC, who heard the case, said: "He is to young women isn't he? How many women does he need to beat up before you declare him a risk? He might not be a risk to you because you're a man. He won't attack men but he attacks women."

Mr Aspinall said Dixon had built up online gambling debts of £10,000 and there had been a void in his life after he lost work during the Covid lockdown and 'masked that with drinking'.

Judge Burbidge described the case as one of 'domestic abuse against your partner and her family' which had increased during Covid-19 lockdowns.

"You are a sportsman having previously been on Cheltenham Town books and also played cricket to a high level" he said. The judge said: "An injury meant you could not pursue your desire for a sports career in football or cricket. You would become down and potentially depressed. That can't excuse domestic abuse of this nature."

Judge Burbidge jailed him for 18 months, describing the threats of self-harm by the defendant as 'classic narcissistic behaviour which seeks to blame someone else'.

Following the hearing, Cheltenham Town issued a statement saying no one named Ryan Dixon had been registered as either a professional or trialist with the club.