Jealous boyfriend held a gun in his partner's mouth, strangled her until she passed out and threatened to cut off her tongue with a kitchen knife

John Sayers, 25, showed 'no mercy' when he attacked Eileen Schneider Couple were together two years and lived in his mother's house in Truro Sayers has several previous convictions for violence and was jailed in 2011 Judge Harvey Clark said: 'You intended to put her in fear of her life'

A man who put a gun in his girlfriend's mouth, strangled her until she passed out and threatened to cut her tongue off with a kitchen knife, has been jailed for five years.

John Sayers, 25, showed 'no mercy' when he repeatedly assaulted Eileen Schneider, his girlfriend of two years, in a fit of jealous rage.

Judge Christopher Harvey Clark, QC, said Miss Schneider had 'the misfortune' of falling in love with Sayers when he visited her in Germany early last year

Truro Crown Court heard that Sayers' violent outbursts started while they were on a tour of Europe, but he promised to change.

They moved into his mother's house in Truro, Cornwall, and the violence escalated.

John Sayers, 25, showed 'no mercy' when he repeatedly assaulted Eileen Schneider, his girlfriend of two years, in a fit of jealous rage

On Friday, Judge Harvey Clark told Sayers: 'Your jealousy led you to assault her on frequent occasions with punches and kicks.

"You threatened her with a knife. You would put your hands around her throat causing her to choke and lose consciousness."

"On at least two occasions you threatened to kill her." "On one occasion you put a handgun into her mouth." "You intended to put her in fear of her life. Not surprisingly, you succeeded in that."

He said that on June 28 and July 2 Sayers attacked her 'without mercy', punching and kicking her all over her body. The judge added: 'On July 2 you took a kitchen knife into her mouth and threatened to cut off her tongue. You told her she was lucky not to have a broken jaw.' 'In my judgement, you manipulated and terrorised her.'

'She was reduced to a timid, helpless girl living in a foreign country and unable to contact her family in Germany because you had removed her mobile phone.' Following a trial in December, Sayers was convicted of four counts of causing actual bodily harm and two counts of making threats to kill.

The court heard Sayers lied while giving evidence, stating that Miss Schneider's bruises were from a car accident. He also lied when he told jurors he had been a member of the Armed Forces and was involved in 'international security'.

The court heard Sayers, who has interests in martial arts, firearms and weaponry, had several previous convictions for violence and was jailed for three years in October 2011 for a 'vicious attack' in Truro. His solicitor, Jason Beal, said Sayers had been engaging with programmes while in prison.

Judge Harvey Clark said due to the 'particularly unpleasant circumstances' and because he deemed Sayers a 'dangerous' man he would extend the sentence imposed. He sentenced Sayers to five years in prison, to serve a minimum of three years before being released on licence.