A thug with a history of violence - including biting off a man's ear - has been jailed for attacking an ex-girlfriend. Liam Richards, 25, left his latest victim with severe bruising after the incident on September 25 last year. It comes after the pair ended their relationship three months earlier, then the defendant asked to talk so the pair visited a mutual friend. It was there that he threw a drink in her face before punching and kicking her. Richards has now been jailed for two years at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, StokeonTrentLive reports. Mr Antony Longworth, prosecuting, said: "She arrived at 9.30pm. She had a couple of drinks but was sober. He was behaving oddly towards her. After a while he went in the kitchen and snatched her phone out of her hand to read her messages. He started to shout and call her a 'slag'. He threw a drink over her. She closed her eyes because the drink was stinging her eyes. He slapped her face and hit her on the back of the head." The victim's friend took her upstairs to try to stop the defendant hitting her. But he followed them and barged into the room. Mr Longworth said: "The victim was terrified. He punched her to the eye and struck her on the side of her face with a fist. He left the room. The victim was crying and in shock. He returned. He became aggressive again. She put her hands up to protect herself. She felt him punch her. He dragged her by her arms on to the floor. "The friend was shouting at him to stop. The victim ended up on the floor. He began to kick her in the ribs. She suffered considerable bruising to her ribs. She tried to kick him back to protect herself and screamed at him. He shouted abuse at her. He was completely enraged." The victim was left petrified of the defendant and afraid to go to Newcastle. In a victim statement, she said she feels "worthless, stupid and vulnerable". Richards, of Applecroft, Crackley, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The defendant has a string of previous convictions for violence, including biting a man's ear off during a fight, the court heard. Mr Stuart Muldoon, defending, said: "His mother sadly passed away when he was aged seven. His father has suffered with serious illness for a significant period of time. The defendant has never experienced any form of counselling for the trauma he has experienced. "He thought that when he was taking cocaine and drinking alcohol to excess that he was living the life he wanted to live. He now realises he was not living a life, he was simply hiding away from his emotions. "He has taken steps to reduce his criminal risk. He is drug free. He drinks alcohol on a Friday. The most he drinks is four pints." Richards must stay away from his latest victim for the next five years. Judge Sally Hancox told him: "You are somebody who has a troubling background. You have been dealt with on a number of occasions by the court for violence. "The sorry events of last year do amount to a persistent and prolonged assault. Your position is further aggravated by your previous convictions. Five of your previous convictions are for violence against partners or previous partners."