A 'MONSTER' dad from Worcester throttled his pregnant partner and repeatedly attacked his seven-year-old daughter and son.

The 26-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had previously admitted two counts of child cruelty and one of controlling or coercive behaviour when he appeared before judge Robert Juckes QC for sentence yesterday (Thursday).

The assaults against his daughter took place between December 17, 2010 and February 2 this year, the assaults on his son between February 20, 2014 and February 2 this year.

The Worcester News has previously reported on the case but new details have emerged about the extent of the physical abuse the father-of-three had inflicted on his partner, eldest daughter and son, who is aged four. The dad, who hung his head in the dock, described himself to the probation service as 'a monster'.

Nicholas Smith, prosecuting, said the defendant had grabbed his partner around the neck when she was pregnant with his first child, the girl he later physically assaulted.

Mr Smith said: “He began to be verbally and physically aggressive when she (his daughter) was three to four years of age.”

Mr Smith described how the dad accused his partner of getting him ‘riled up’.

The abuse he inflicted on his daughter included tapping or prodding her very hard on the side of the head and pushing her ‘harder than was necessary’. When his daughter was aged six he slapped her to her face and told her she would be adopted.

Mr Smith said: “He even threatened to kill her in her sleep. He would pull her ears, saying she would not listen.”

His partner told police she felt scared to tell anyone about his behaviour. She said there were no visible physical injuries or marks to the children as a result of the defendant’s actions.

However, his partner reported having marks on her wrists and neck from assaults upon her and said his actions had caused her to self-harm using razor blades. She said in a statement she was left feeling 'worthless' and that it was 'all her fault'.

“She would be afraid to do house work because it would wake him up and he would get into a temper” said Mr Smith.

During one incident his partner heard their daughter in pain in the bathroom. She told her mother that the defendant had punched her in the stomach.

Social services at one stage visited the family’s Worcester home where they became aware of the strong smell, finding flies coming out of the property, soiled nappies, leftover takeaway food and wet beds, conditions assessed as being unsuitable for children.

The defendant was arrested on February 7 this year. He told police he suffered from anxiety and depression but agreed he had been physically and verbally aggressive. He accepted punching his daughter in the stomach but said the the threats to kill her were ‘a game’ and he ‘didn’t mean it’.

The couple are now living apart but are working with social services with a view to putting their family back together again.

Jason Aris, defending, said the case clearly crossed the custody threshold. He said: “Although there were a series of assaults, none of those assaults amounted to actual bodily harm. On the other hand, I readily concede there is a protracted period of time over which this happens.”

He added: “It’s always helpful when a client describes himself to the probation service as ‘a monster’. This shows real insight into the offences. He’s clearly a very troubled individual.”

Mr Aris also said his client was ‘extremely sorry’, that there was ‘clear remorse’ and that he had entered his guilty plea at the earliest available opportunity, accepting that his behaviour had been ‘appalling’.

The judge adjourned sentence until next Friday to get a report from social services. However, he warned the defendant that this was not to be taken as any indication of what the sentence would be.

He said: “A custodial sentence must follow. The issue is whether it can be suspended.”