A VIOLENT man assessed by a judge as a danger to the public has been jailed for four years at Worcester Crown Court.

Clifford Hodgkins squ-eezed his girlfriend's throat during a row and punched her mother in the face, breaking four teeth.

He had a record for violence which included assaults, carrying knives and racially aggravated harassment, said Simon Drew, prosecuting. Judge David McEvoy QC said Hodgkins had seven previous offences which made him, under new laws, "a significant risk to the public of serious injury".

He ordered 24-year-old Hodgkins, of Victoria Place, Kidderminster, to be on licence for three years after his release from jail.

Hodgkins pleaded guilty to possession of a knife and two assaults. A jury convicted him of three further assaults. Police in Kidderminster saw him hiding a knife under a car near a pub on Thursday, January 6, last year and arrested him, said Mr Drew.

Six months later he assaulted Donna Key, fracturing her teeth. He claimed it was excessive self-defence.

Twice granted bail, he then assaulted his girlfriend Michelle Connelly, hitting her on the head with a stick and dragging her upstairs. His last conviction was in January this year when he again attacked Miss Connelly. Mr Drew said he hit her with a phone, straddled her, squeezed her throat and nose and punched her in the face, causing a black eye.

He marched her to her mother's house to clean her up, but she escaped and alerted police. Michael Aspinall, defending, said Hodgkins and Miss Connelly still loved each other and she had been visiting him in prison while he was on remand.

He acted impulsively but was developing more self-awareness about the reasons for losing his temper.

"He is trying desperately to change his ways so that he and Miss Connelly can have a proper life together," added Mr Aspinall.