Man held knife to partner’s throat

A MAN threatened to kill his girlfriend with a knife in a drunken row then spat in the face of a policeman who tried to arrest him.

John Unwin (52) grabbed two knives from the kitchen of the home in Rock Street, Oldham.

Manchester Crown Court heard how he pinned down his partner, held a serrated blade against her neck and said: “I could easily slit your throat.”

Terrified Bernadette Howe had to flee upstairs where she managed to bolt the bathroom door against him after calling police.

The court heard Unwin, who had an “appalling” criminal record for assault, battery and wounding, was abusive to two officers who arrived at the house.

He was cuffed and made to sit on a sofa, but leaned forward and spat in the face of one of them before kicking out. Unwin later admitted going “berserk” on drink after failing to get a job.

Unwin was jailed for 25 months after pleading guilty threats to kill and an assault on an officer.