A SPURNED lover threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend with a three-and-a-half foot Samurai sword before assaulting her as she tried to flee in terror.

Steven Morgan launched the attack on Paula Chapman at his home in Beach Road East, Portishead, in July.

Magistrates at North Somerset Courthouse in St Georges, near Weston, heard how the 48-year-old called his ex-lover one evening and she went around to his home to see him. When she got there he asked her to move back in and tried to kiss and cuddle her.

When she rejected him he fetched the Samurai sword and pointed it towards her, saying he would kill her and ‘top himself’.

Shiovhan Heron, prosecuting, said: “He held the sword in his right hand and pointed it at her stomach.

“The victim said he told her he couldn’t live without her.”

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“He pushed the blade of the sword towards her and then blocked her path with it. The victim dashed to the door and got to her car, but he was then at the driver’s side and grabbed the keys.”

Morgan did not have the sword, but he grabbed his victim’s arm and tried to drag her out of the car, leaving her with a bruised arm, shoulder, bicep and elbow.

Ms Chapman sounded the car horn and he released the grip on the keys and walked into the house.

The court also heard last week how Morgan had disputed some of the facts of the case, meaning a separate hearing had to be previously held, but that the case was found to be as the victim said.

Morgan then tried to commit suicide on October 26.

Last week he appeared before magistrates for sentencing for assault by beating and common and was handed a two-year restraining order, an 18-month community order with supervision and unpaid work requirements and was ordered to pay �150 compensation and �150 costs.