'˜Jekyll and Hyde' thug told ex: '˜I'm going to kill you'

The 34-year-old burst into her home in Aldermoor Road, Waterlooville, after she decided to end their relationship, rowed with her about a holiday and wielded a kitchen knife, a court heard.

Daniel Sawyer, prosecuting at Portsmouth Crown Court, revealed Boniface had previously been jailed for stabbing the same woman in 2009.

Boniface, of Bursledon Place, Purbrook, was branded a ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ character by his defence barrister.

Mr Sawyer said: ‘She took him back when he was released from that sentence.

‘They then seemed to have been in a relatively stable relationship until April of this year. Then (the victim) decided she wanted to end the relationship.’

The pair had booked and paid for a holiday in Dubai together in June.

But when they spoke on the phone on June 1 they rowed and he said he would not call her again.

However Boniface turned up at her front door and she, expecting her sister to be returning, opened the door for him.

Mr Sawyer added: ‘He was drunk, she said he stank of alcohol. When she said she didn’t want to talk to him, he got angry and started shouting at her.’

He added Boniface grabbed her by the hair and pushed her on to a sofa and poked her in the eye.

The victim fled, locking herself in the bathroom, as Boniface paced outside shouting.

The court heard he said: ‘I’d rather go to prison for 20 years and kill you.’

His victim’s sister arrived home before Boniface armed himself with a kitchen knife.

He waved the knife about at the victim, who had gone into her bedroom, repeatedly shouting: ‘I don’t care, I’m going to kill you.’

The victim’s sister tried to get rid of Boniface but he shouted for her to ‘get away’ before he fled and handed himself in to police.

Boniface was jailed for 18 months in 2009 for stabbing the same woman and a man.

He admitted two counts of assault by beating, criminal damage to the bathroom door and one count of making threats to kill.

Recorder Frank Abbott jailed him for 30 months on the threat to kill and one month concurrent on the other counts.

The judge said: ‘Perhaps it’s better if he cools his heels for a while and then comes out and starts all over again.’

Jason Hallsey, defending, said: ‘What we’re dealing with is a Jekyll and Hyde.

‘He’s not an unpleasant man when sober.’

Boniface must pay a £170 victim surcharge.