A teenage mum was battered so hard by her boyfriend she looked like she had been in the ring with Mike Tyson, a court has heard.

The 18-year-old suffered serious injuries in an attack on Canterbury's Spring Lane estate at the hands of Mark Moys, who was armed with a Stanley knife.

She told police after: "I felt like I was an ant he could just tread on”.

Canterbury Crown Court heard how a close friend of the victim said she looked like she had "gone 10 rounds" with former heavyweight boxer Tyson.

After being quizzed and released by police, Moys stormed into the home of his victim and threatened to kill her, accusing her of being "a grass".

He has now been sent to a Young Offender’s Institute for 28 months and ordered to stay away from the mother of his two children for five years.

He had pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill his victim, unlawful wounding and common assault.

A more serious charge of wounding with intent, which he had denied, was dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.

The judge, Recorder Jane Bignell QC, told him: "You have torn your family apart.

"When you made the chilling threat to kill her you had your hands around her throat.

“You should be ashamed of your conduct. When she said she felt like an ant you could just tread on, they were very telling words."

Prosecutor Peter Forbes said the couple had been in a "turbulent" four-year relationship in which two children were born.

He said in April this year, a row started at the victim's home, when she awoke to find Moys in a bad mood.

"When you made the chilling threat to kill her you had your hands around her throat..." - Recorder Jane Bignell QC

Mr Forbes told how Moys, who admitted his guilt 10 days before facing a trial, slapped, punched and bit his girlfriend, accusing her of cheating and calling her a "dirty whore" and a prostitute.

During the violent attack he cut his partner's groin with the knife before putting his hands around her throat "and squeezing tightly".

Mr Forbes said Moys also struck her with a belt, which damaged her face

He said he was going to kill her and urged her to kill herself within a year or ”I will do you over”.

The victim then went to the home of a friend for help.

Photographs of the victim's facial injuries were shown to the judge.

Moys, of Mustards Road, Leysdown, was taken to a police station but released without charge and immediately returned to his girlfriend's home, where he again attacked her in front of their children.

He also told her that while he was in police cells he had dreamed up ways to kill her.

Phil Rowley, defending, said these had been “unpleasant and chilling" incidences but Moys was now ashamed of his conduct.

After the initial attack, the court heard how the victim refused to make a statement and later tried to claim she had cut her groin shaving.