A MAN flew into a rage and threatened to chop off his girlfriend's toes with a machete after she texted her ex-partner about their dog.

Nicholas Hamill grabbed her around the throat and then held the weapon to her foot.

"He threatened that he would either chop off her toes or fingers," Nicoletta Amatino, prosecuting, told Bolton Crown Court.

Judge Timothy Stead heard how Hammill and his partner had been in a relationship for two to three months when he was at her home in Tonge Moor on July 28.

"He saw she was sending texts to her ex-partner to make arrangements for their jointly owned dog," said Miss Amatino.

He became angry, pinning her up against her bathroom wall by her throat.

Shortly afterwards, when she was in her bedroom, she saw him coming up the stairs again.

"She was very frightened because of what had just happened," said Miss Amatino.

But 30-year-old Hamill demanded, "what are you looking at me like that for?" before grabbing her by the throat, slapping the side of her head and telling her,"I'm going back to prison anyway".

After threatening her with the machete Hamill also told her he could have her killed or would blow up her home.

By coincidence, the woman's father arrived at the house, she got into his car and drove away.

Hamill, of no fixed address, was arrested and, because he was already on licence for a previous offence of affray, was returned to prison.

He pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm.

Tom Watson, defending, said: "The defendant wishes to apologise, particularly to the victim.

"He knows the relationship is over and there will be no attempt to contact her ever again."

He added that Hamill has problems with anger issues and had not been taking medication for his mental health.

"He gets paranoid and that's what happened on this day," said Mr Watson, who added that Hamill hopes to return to work as a scaffolder.

Hamill appeared for sentencing via a video link from Forest Bank prison and was given a 16 month jail term.

Judge Stead told him that his partner had endured "significant emotional suffering".

"The offence took place without any justifiable provocation," he said.

"He [Hamill] understands he has very little control of himself when he feels threatened or challenged."

A restraining order was also made banning Hamill from ever contacting his former partner or her immediate family.