THE ex-partner of a Worcester man was forced to lie in terror next to him after he split her lip open and imprisoned her in their home.

Days later, Melissa Roberts was left with a black eye as Edward Fitzherbert-Stewart hurled racist abuse at her in Wyld's Lane.

Yesterday, the muscular former doorman was jailed for six months.

A relieved Miss Roberts welcomed the verdict.

"He got what he deserves, but I think he will be back," said the mother after the hearing at Droitwich Magistrates Court.

Miss Roberts was celebrating her 24th birthday on Thursday, June 29, when Fitzherbert-Stewart returned home drunk with friend, James Dale.

He ordered her upstairs, accusing her of "fancying" Mr Dale before punching her in the face, splitting open her lip and leaving her with a black eye.

Miss Roberts described how she was forced to endure a terrifying night after her boyfriend refused to let her out of the bedroom.

"That was when I made my mind up to go to the police," she explained.

"I just had to lie there. I had to keep my mouth shut, not to provoke him again."

Although Fitzherbert-Stewart was convicted of two assaults, Miss Roberts said he had attacked her on several occasions before.

Fitzherbert-Stewart, 27, threatened to kill Miss Roberts if she went to the police after the first assault.

But she defied him and he was arrested.

On Sunday, July 2, he attacked her again while yelling "Paki Slag" at her. Police officers were forced to restrain him outside with CS spray as he continued his racist tirade while shocked Asian residents looked on.

Fitzherbert-Stewart, formerly of Sherwood Lane, Lower Wick, admitted two counts of assault, one of criminal damage, one of harassment and threats to harm Miss Roberts, one of racially-aggravated threatening behaviour and one of carrying an offensive weapon - after officers found an axe in the boot of his car.

He received sentences of four and five months to run concurrently for the assaults, four months to run concurrently for harassment, two months to run consecutively for criminal damage and one month to run concurrently for possession of the axe.

He was ordered to pay Miss Roberts a total of £200 compensation and to comply with a restraining order by keeping away from her.

The jail term imposed on Fitzherbert-Stewart has been welcomed by race watchdogs.

"Racist abuse is still all too common at work, in the pub and, in this case, in the street," said deputy director of Worcestershire Racial Equality Council, Andrew Lee.

"We appreciate the action by the courts and the police in dealing firmly with this offence."

After yesterday's hearing, Melissa Roberts urged other victims of domestic violence to shop the perpetrators.

"It will just get worse and worse," said the 24-year-old.

"He did it in front of my children.

"He is mental."

Miss Roberts was pregnant with Fitzherbert-Stewart's child at the time but terminated it following the assaults.

She said the violence gave her daughters, Charlotte, five, and Abigail, two, nightmares, and prompted the family to leave Wyld's Lane.

"They did not even want to go into the house, so we had to leave.

"I don't know whether they will be able to forget it. Perhaps Abi will, but I don't know about Charlotte. I think time will tell."

She rejected claims that she was unsympathetic to the plight of Fitzherbert-Stewart's sister, Theresa.

RELATIONS between Edward Fitzherbert-Stewart and Melissa Roberts had been deteriorating before he attacked her, the court heard.

On Thursday, June 24, Fitzherbert-Stewart went out with friend James Dale and drank four pints of lager.

He returned home with his friend at 1.30am "in good spirits" but his temper snapped half an hour later.

"He grabbed her and put his arm across her neck, causing her not to be able to draw breath," said Sally Badham, prosecuting.

"He accused her of fancying James Dale and called her a slag."

The former doorman then punched his girlfriend, leaving her with a split lip and black eye.

Fitzherbert-Stewart refused to let her leave the bedroom and the pair fell asleep before he left the next morning.

"He said if you call the police I will kill them, then I will kill you."

Following his arrest, Fitzherbert-Stewart returned on Sunday, July 2, and was warned by Miss Roberts that she would call the police if he tried to enter the house.

But he smashed a rear window and rounded on her before going down-stairs to collect a video recorder.

Punched

"He got to the foot of the stairs and punched her by her left eye," said Mrs Badham.

Moments later police arrived and took Fitzherbert-Stewart's car keys as he yelled: "Paki slag! Paki lover, I will kill her! I will kill all of you and all you Paki bitches!"

Officers later discovered he was carrying the axe following a fight with some Asians the previous day.

Fergus Maxwell, defending, said Fitzherbert-Stewart was under pressure with concern for his sister, Teresa, then in a five-month coma with a lung condition.

He claimed Miss Roberts was indifferent to her illness, which was expected to be terminal, though Teresa later recovered.

He said his client had suffered while remanded in Gloucester prison but showed "exemplary" behaviour.

He had attempting to hang himself and was put on a wing with burglars - four years after a gang of raiders caused his father's fatal heart attack when they broke into his home.

Mr Maxwell said Fitzherbert-Stewart now hoped to live with his former partner with whom he had three children.