An outburst in Magistrates’ Court this morning resulted in a Devonshire man receiving a two-year prison sentence for unlawfully assaulting and threatening to kill a woman.

Tio Weeks, 37, admitted assaulting Beverly Pitt on her way to work around 6.30am on Saturday.

But he told Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner: “There’s two sides to every story. You ain’t going to hear my side so just sentence me.”

“Half of that is b***s***,” Weeks continued. “It’s b***s***. You can write that in the paper. So Mr Warner, look at your book and do what you have to do.”

Weeks — who “has a pattern of assaulting females”, according to Crown counsel Maria Sofionas — chased after Ms Pitt, his next door neighbour, as she was getting on her cycle to go to work.

After a brief exchange, Ms Pitt continued on her way but stopped when she noticed her rear tyre was flat. As she was examining her tyre, Weeks appeared behind her and grabbed her around the neck with his left hand.

Ms Sofionas said Weeks began punching her repeatedly in the face with his right fist. He told Ms Pitt: “I love you, but nobody’s going to have you,”

Ms Pitt feared for her life as Weeks continued punching her and threatening to kill “you now.”

Weeks eventually let go, the court heard, at which point Ms Pitt was able to jump on her cycle and ride to safety, where she then called the police.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner responded quickly to Weeks’ outburst, sentencing him to two years in prison for the offences, which took place while Weeks was on probation for using threatening words against another woman in May this year.

“Thank you,” said Weeks before being led out of the courtroom.