A BULLY strangled his pregnant girlfriend and told her that he hopes her baby dies.

While on bail for assaulting this victim, Ryan Gibbons then punched his new girlfriend to the face and also made threats to her.

Gibbons, who has previous convictions relating to a domestic setting, appeared before Liverpool Crown Court for sentencing on Friday after pleading guilty to strangulation, assault causing actual bodily harm, sending an electronic communication with intent to cause distress, and sending threatening messages.

Prosecuting, Gerald Baxter said that the first two offences were against a woman who Gibbons had been in a relationship with for around a year.

But when she became pregnant, Gibbons, 26, became ‘very possessive’ of her.

On the day of the strangulation offence, Mr Baxter said that Gibbons, of Cavendish Close, Old Hall, had been going through her Facebook messages from years ago and had become angry.

After calling her names, he put both of his hands around her throat and pinned her against the wall.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how the pregnant victim could not breathe and that Gibbons only stopped when a family member walked in on the incident.

Warrington Guardian: Ryan Gibbons

At a later date, Gibbons then sext a large number of offensive text messages to this victim.

One said: “I hope you lose that baby.”

The court heard that the victim did lose her baby after this, although it was not directly related to what Gibbons said.

Following this, Gibbons was arrested and released on bail which is when he got into a new relationship and committed further offences.

Mr Baxter said that following an argument with his new partner, Gibbons punched her in the face which caused her to fall to the floor.

She was left lying in a pool of her own blood.

She then locked herself in the bathroom and was able to call the police.

Gibbons then proceeded to send her threatening messages such as ‘watch now, you are dead’ and ‘I have warned you’.

Defending her client, Sarah Griffin said: “There has been a complete U-turn in this defendant and his attitude.

“He does now see that he needs help and is really trying his very best to do what he can to address his offending behaviour.”

Concluding, Recorder Paul Taylor said: “By far the most serious of these offences is the strangulation.

“What you may or may not have realised is that it is a terrifying experience.

“In a matter of a few seconds someone can easily lose consciousness and die within a very short space of time.”

Gibbons received 28 months in prison and was handed a restraining order against one of the victims.