A TEENAGER beat and sexually assaulted his pregnant partner in Malvern after accusing her of cheating on him while threatening to kill her and their unborn child.

The 16-year-old appeared at Worcester Crown Court with his mother to be sentenced by judge Robert Juckes.

The court made an order that the youth could not be identified. He had admitted one count of assault by beating and one count of sexual assault at an earlier hearing at the youth court.

The incident which involved the defendant’s 17-year-old partner happened at her bedsit in Malvern at 3am at September 17 last year.

The girl was taken to A&E at Worcester after the assault.

Giles Nelson, prosecuting, said: “He started accusing her of cheating on him. He became very angry and was screaming and shouting at her. He locked the door of the bedsit. She climbed out of the bedroom window.”

However, he dragged her back inside, pinning her against the wall as she told him to stop. At one point he had one hand on her hooded top and other on her throat.

The girl took refuge in a bedroom and closed the door but decided to open it rather than have the defendant break it. He began kicking her to the arms and legs with some force before pulling her onto the bed and ripping off her clothes Mr Nelson said.

He added: "He got on top of her and started to undo her belt. She thought she was going to be raped. He was sitting on her stomach, choking her around the throat. She was frightened and begging him to stop for herself and for her unborn child.

"She reports how he said he was going to kill her. He said: 'I'm going to kill you and the baby and myself'."

He then sexually assaulted her. She fled to the bathroom. The defendant was described as being in a distressed state, cutting the inside of one of his forearms with a razor blade.

Nigel Fryer, defending, said: "It's clear he has demonstrated responsibility. He was devastated by what happened. Through me he expresses his remorse.

"He's a young man still in his formative years. He would benefit from intervention by the youth justice service."

Mr Fryer said his client had called an ambulance for his partner and would be 'ill-equipped to deal with custody'. He said it was 'an intense relationship' and that his client had failed to deal with his emotions, letting jealousy overtake him.

His client suffers from ADHD which was controlled through medication.

Judge Robert Juckes, sentencing, said the defendant was 'very young' and had no previous convictions.

He said: "What you put her through was a prolonged assault which must have been terrifying for her at a time when she was six months pregnant.

"This was a serious assault and you were out of control. That is the most worrying aspect of the case. There was real humiliation and the sexual assault was part of that."

He said the starting point for sentencing an adult would be an eight year custodial sentence. Judge Juckes youth rehabilitation order for 24 months with 90 days of extended activities with supervision and surveillance.

He must also sign the sex offender's register for two and a half years and was placed on a curfew for three months.

Judge Juckes said: "That will be a far harder regime in many ways than a custodial sentence would."

If he reoffends judge Juckes said he would reserve the case to himself.

"I can promise you there will not be any second chances" he told the youth.