A woman who had previously been in a relationship with Nigel Jefferson told police she feared he would kill her.

The complainant whom Jefferson targeted informed officers she did not wish to become one of the women killed by male partners each year.

Jefferson, 44, is now serving a 15-month sentence and is subject to a ten-year order preventing him from contacting her.

At Bradford Crown Court, prosecutor Thomas Harris described how Jefferson breached an existing restraining order by sending the woman messages in which he expressed intentions to harm or take his own life.

He also sent a drawing depicting himself with a blade at his throat, with wording indicating he had carried out the act.

In a written account read aloud in court, the victim stated she felt devoid of emotion and emotionally hollow.

She explained there was an ongoing pattern where he would be dealt with by authorities while on bail or released and then resume his abusive conduct.

She described experiencing perpetual nervousness and tension, and being emotionally drained as Jefferson’s behavior escalated.

She noted Jefferson seemed incapable of being stopped and had stripped her of everything.

The court heard their partnership had been marked by domestic violence, which resulted in Jefferson receiving a prison term for intentional strangulation.

Jefferson admitted guilt to harassment involving breach of a restraining order and to stalking that took place between January 23 and March 12 of this year.

His barrister Rebecca Young told the court that Jefferson, who appeared via video link from HMP Leeds, had been released only to find himself without accommodation and in a dire situation.

She outlined how he had turned to drugs, which exacerbated his mental health difficulties and produced suicidal thoughts.

In his distressed state, he contacted the woman.

She indicated his drug dependency originated from a troubled upbringing and that he had been addicted to crack cocaine since his teenage years.

However, during his incarceration he had been motivated to access as much help as available and arrange further support for after his release.

Judge Ahmed Nadim observed that Jefferson’s communications to the woman had been designed to manipulate, frighten, and cause suffering.

He stated the behaviour was intended to alarm, compel, and impose an entirely unreasonable strain on the complainant.

Jefferson was handed a 15-month term for the breach and an additional five months for stalking, to be served at the same time.

A fresh ten-year restraining order was put in place, and Jefferson was warned that further such conduct could result in designation as a dangerous offender.