A THUG who stamped on a woman’s ribs during a tirade of abuse has been jailed for eight months.

David Sellers had been in a relationship with the woman for five months before launching the brutal attack.

The 39-year-old also sent abusive messages to the victim and damaged her mobile phone.

The incident took place on June 22 in a hotel room in Basildon.

Sellers and the woman had gone into the room and as soon as the door closed, his partner said his attitude and mood “changed considerably”.

He then blocked her in the room and subjected her to a barrage of abuse, accusing her of cheating on him, and in the process he stamped on her ribs resulting in severe pain.

The woman managed to leave the room, and the following day Sellers sent her several abusive messages.

He was later arrested on June 25 at the address of another woman which he was prohibited from attending due to a restraining order being in place.

Matthew Bone, mitigating for Sellers yesterday in Basildon Crown Court, told the court that Sellers had been through a history of drug use and was determined to change.

He added: “He had previously requested that he be held in custody instead of being released, saying that his abuse of drugs had made him become violent and that he admitted that something has to change.

“He is very fortunate to have the support of his partner in this case, who has recognised that his issues with drugs made him behave in that way.”

Sellers, of Maydells, Basildon, has a string of previous convictions including the assault of a police officer in September last year.

Addressing Sellers, Judge Samantha Leigh said: “You subjected your victim to a tirade of abuse for hours, and you broke her phone in that time.

“You stamped on her ribs which she said caused pain worse than childbirth.

“I have seen the messages you sent, and they are horrible.

“They’re meant to be belittling and insulting as you possibly could make them.

“If it were not for your appalling track record I may have been able to follow the course your mitigation asked for, but I feel an immediate custodial sentence is the only suitable punishment for you.”

Sellers received eight months in prison for assault, criminal damage, the abusive messages and breach of restraining order.