A CONVICTED robber who has been committing crime since he was 13 assaulted his ex and threatened to 'knife her mum in the face'.

Daniel Smith ignored a restraining order which prohibited contact with his ex-partner by sending her abusive messages, making threats, assaulting her and damaging a door.

The 31-year-old of Raleigh Close, Dines Green, Worcester, had already admitted breaching a restraining order, damaging property, acting in breach of a restraining order and assault by beating when he appeared at Hereford Crown Court on Monday to be sentenced.

The court heard how the father-of-four had been in a relationship for 12 years which broke down in 2017. A restraining order was made prohibiting contact with his ex on March 28 last year.

Andrew Jackson, prosecuting, said despite this order she received a 'variety of vulgar messages' from Smith on February 5 this year, sent between midnight and 7am.

In the messages Smith referred to his ex-partner as 'a slag' and also called her another expletive. Smith sent a message telling her to 'watch out', 'threatened he would put a big knife in her mother's face' and sent another which said 'die', Mr Jackson told the court.

"He also made threats about robbing someone and that her mother's head would be blasted off if she stood in the way" said Mr Jackson.

On February 6 he put a status on Facebook saying he would 'kill tomorrow', attaching a profile picture of his ex-partner who took a screenshot of the message.

When his ex was at her sister's house Smith sounded the buzzer and banged on the front door before gaining entry to the flat on June 21 this year.

Smith was described as 'clutching a can of beer', damaging a door and making an offensive reference to his partner and her sister having sexual relations with Pakistani men.

He denied grabbing his ex by the throat but accepted pushing her to the upper chest, shouting 'where are my kids?'

Smith was arrested on July 15 this year and had been in custody since then.

Smith told officers he had been told two lads were selling cocaine at his ex's sister's house and 'shoulder barged the door when no-one had answered to his knocking'.

However, he later discovered this claim was not true said Mr Jackson.

He denied grabbing his ex by the throat or making threats to anyone in the flat or that he had been drunk.

The court heard how Smith had convictions for robbery, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and battery, his first offence dating back to December 11, 2002 when he was just 13.

In 2008 he received three years' detention at a young offenders institution for robbery.

More recently he received a £60 fine for a public order offence on July 16 this year after he admitted 'shouting outside Worcester Magistrates Court with others' according to his defence advocate.

Belinda Ariss, defending, said: "He's extremely ashamed of his behaviour. This is a man who has struggled previously with alcohol abuse and his cannabis use."

Miss Ariss told the judge 'he wants to change' and was 'extremely sorry'. She also said an appointment had been arranged for Smith with Swanswell, the drug and alcohol rehabilitation service, that day.

She described Smith as 'a grafter' who had worked as a plasterer and block paver and had been tentatively offered work should he get his driving licence. "He fully accepts that his relationship is over," she said.

Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins QC, prosecuting, said: "He began offending young."

The judge made Smith the subject of an 18 month community order to include 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days, a six month alcohol treatment programme and 150 hours of unpaid work.

The judge said Smith 'has the benefit of long-suffering parents' but warned him: "It may be your last chance Mr Smith."

He made an indefinite restraining order and ordered him to pay a £85 victim surcharge.