A man turned outside his ex-partner's home with a knife and threatened to kill her.

Michael Shaw, 69, turned up at her house in Bury with a blade and made the terrifying threat, Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard.

The victim had been in a long-term relationship with him for a number of years and during this time she experienced violent outbursts from him.

In 2011, she was stabbed in the back and sustained three stab wounds and an arm injury following an attack from Shaw.

Shaw was sentenced to five years although he served less than three years.

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But after the prison sentence, their relationship resumed, and Shaw became abusive again, the court was told.

Prosecuting, Keith Jones, said that on September 6 last year, the victim received a call from Shaw where he was screaming and shouting and told her “I can be there in half an hour, you need to watch what you’re saying”.

Then on October 6, one of the victim’s neighbour went outside after seing Shaw banging on her front door and asked him to calm down.

Shaw told him “f*** off, this has nothing to do with you” and continued to kick at her door until he fell backwards.

He then said to the neighbour that he was going to kill his partner and then pulled out a knife and started waving it around.

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After asking four times for him to hand over the knife, he eventually did.

Another neighbour who saw the commotion called the police and as Shaw was being arrested the victim returned home and found out what had happened.

In a victim impact statement, the victim said that over the past 10 years she had lived her life in fear and since this recent incident, even though she was not home, she has been really frightened.

She said: “I have been having sleepless nights because of it. I want to enjoy my life with my new partner.”

The neighbour said in his impact statement that he was fearful that he could have been seriously injured and he is worried that Shaw could return to his address in the future.

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Defending, Hayley Bennett, said that Shaw intends to never see the victim again and plans to stay out of Bury forever and accepts that they need to stay apart.

Ms Bennett said: “He maintains he didn’t take the knife to use it on her but he carried it for his protection.

“He did hand it over and was intoxicated and said he shouldn’t have acted the way he did.”

She added that Shaw had a troubled childhood, has limited qualifications and didn’t come from a loving and supportive home.

He is of ill health and has had two previous heart attacks and has heart conditions.

Ms Bennett added: “He’s remorseful to this day that he has caused her such distress.”

Judge Matthew Corbett-Jones sentenced Shaw, of Bury New Road, Heywood, after pleading guilty to eight counts of threats to kill, two counts of assault, two counts of sending a threatening message and one count of possession of a bladed article in public

He was sentenced to five years and four months with an extended licence period of four years.

An indefinite restraining order has also been granted for his former partner.

Greater Manchester Police was contacted for a custody picture of Shaw.