A jealous and paranoid thug said to "enjoy power over women" subjected his girlfriend to a campaign of abuse and violence within weeks of leaving prison.

Stuart Turnbull had only been free for a couple of months for what a judge described as "strikingly similar" behaviour towards a former partner when he resorted to punching, headbutting, kicking and even twice strangling his victim.

Canterbury Crown Court heard the drink and drug-fuelled brute also controlled what she wore and how she styled her hair, demanded she donned fake eyelashes and nails, and isolated her from family and friends.

The woman was not only left bleeding, bruised and battered from his physical assaults but also wracked with feelings of dread, self-blame and weakness.

Even when she was brave enough to report him, she soon retracted her statement following pressure and threats from the 30-year-old Dover resident.

But on jailing Turnbull on Friday (August 23), a judge praised her courage in going back to police, giving evidence at his trial and finally bringing him to justice.

Her coming forward resulted in Turnbull being handed the maximum jail term for such controlling and coercive behaviour.

Prosecutor Gemma Noble described how the woman was subjected to violence "almost immediately" after starting a relationship with Turnbull in July last year.

One outburst in his van led to him punching her repeatedly in the face, and then blaming her for bleeding in the vehicle.

When she tried to flee, he slammed the door so hard that the glass shattered. He then forced her to stay with him for two days until her black eyes had eased.

Her ordeal was not confined to happening in private either, the court heard, with an attack occurring on a train where he banged her head so hard against a train window, she was instantly bruised.

Turnbull, who has 12 previous convictions for 24 offences, even marked his birthday by strangling her twice within 24 hours.

The first time he grabbed her in a choke-hold, telling her she had a "sarky attitude", and on the second occasion pinned her down on the bed and squeezed her throat so hard she wet herself and feared her eyes would "pop out".

Her humiliation at Turnbull's hands also included him throwing pizza at her, spitting in her face and hair, pouring shampoo over her head and water on her bed, using derogatory names, threatening her with a knife and telling her that if she refused to go through with a double suicide he would force pills down her throat.

The woman also suffered a fractured rib after being punched so hard she thought he had stabbed her.

Her ordeal finally came to an end in January this year when she fled, barefooted, to the Port of Dover where police found her crying, with red marks on her neck and breathing difficulties.

Turnbull, of Biggin Street, denied the accusations but a jury unanimously found him guilty of assault causing actual bodily harm, controlling and coercive behaviour, witness intimidation and two offences of intentional strangulation.

All were committed between September last year and January.

At his sentencing hearing, a statement written by his victim was read to the court detailing how her ordeal had left physical scars and taken "a massive toll" on her mental health.

"This has essentially driven me out of my hometown because of concerns for my safety," she said.

"I get in a panic just talking about the situation even months after. He would isolate me away from everyone close to me.

"Simple things such as the phone ringing or a knock at the door would make me worry.

"I was in a vulnerable state because I cared about him and he took advantage and used it to his benefit.

"I hate the fact I kept forgiving him over and over again... I keep thinking back as to why it happened and almost blame myself."

Ignatius Fessal, defending, told the court Turnbull had been "constantly offending" since the age of 14, with much of his crimes committed in the past eight years being drug-related. He was also diagnosed with ADHD in 2019.

But Mr Fessal said that although Turnbull had now sought help for his drug addiction while on remand and was considered a "model" prisoner, he would need to address his "poor attitude" to women and relationships.

Imposing a five-year jail term with a 10-year restraining order, Recorder Daniel Stevenson said the victim's vulnerability had given the "bigger, stronger, more controlled and controlling" Turnbull reason to believe he could "act however he wanted" towards her throughout their four-month relationship.

"This was prolonged, persistent, domestic abuse marked by serious violent conduct, and threats of violence, including to prevent [your victim] from supporting a prosecution," said the judge.

"Her evidence was that behaviour lasted for the whole of your relationship. She said that she was in a vicious cycle, she was weak, and she was manipulated, so she kept going back.

"These are the familiar features of domestic abuse. It is clear from her personal statement that the impact of your offending, and of having to relive it during a trial, was significant. You have had an extreme impact on her mental well-being.

"In the end, she showed that she was not weak. She displayed huge strength of character by finally providing statements against you, and then by giving evidence when she obviously found the experience of doing so deeply uncomfortable. She was for that reason a compelling witness.

"Why did you act in this way? When you gave evidence, you were controlled and calm, and so you are obviously capable of acting this way.

"My assessment is that your offences were motivated by extreme jealousy and paranoia and fuelled by drink and drug misuse.

"I also consider that you have a temper which you cannot control, especially when you are intoxicated.

"Finally, I am driven to conclude that you enjoy the power which you consider you have over female partners through being violent and abusive towards them."

Recorder Stevenson added the fact Turnbull had a previous conviction for domestic violence was "of real concern" and made his latest offending more serious.