A SERIAL abuser who attacked and threatened his then partner has been spared another jail sentence.

David Millard, 38, terrorised the woman by punching her, hitting her with a baton, hurling furniture and leaving abusive messages.

The crimes occurred between March 2011 and November 2014 at addresses in Clydebank, Dumbarton and Helensburgh.

Millard, who was listed in court papers as a resident of George Street, Alexandria, was convicted of assault as well as behaving in threatening and abusive manner at a trial last month.

He had also been accused of rape against the former partner and a second ex, but was cleared of those charges by a jury.

Millard returned to the High Court in Glasgow for sentencing on Wednesday.

Lord Richardson said the victim had been left affected by what Millard had done.

However, the judge added: "Having weighed everything up, I thought very seriously about imposing imprisonment.

"However, I am prepared to give you an opportunity."

The judge imposed a community payback order which will involve Millard carrying out 250 hours of unpaid work.

He will also be supervised for two years.

Lord Richardson told him: "If you fail to comply, you will be returned back to this court."

Read more: Serial abuser David Millard cleared of raping two women

An his trial last month, Millard was convicted of assaulting Woman A between March 1, 2011 and November 5, 2014, at properties in Airdrie, Helensburgh, Rosneath, Cove and elsewhere by seizing hold of her body, dragging her by her body, pushing her on the body, punching and striking her on the head, pinning her against a couch, struggling with her and striking her on the body with a baton, all to her injury.

On the same dates and locations, as well as at properties in Clydebank and Dumbarton, he shouted, swore, behaved aggressively, damaged household items, threw items within the properties, sent threatening and abusive messages to Woman A, directed derogatory comments towards her and uttered threats.

Woman A in her evidence had told the court: "He said he loved me and nobody was going to love me like he did.

"I believed he loved me - I believed it was my fault.

"I was terrified of that man."

Millard has previous convictions for assault with a knife in 2012 and for threatening or abusive behaviour in 2017.

He was jailed for three years in 2017 for subjecting the two former partners to months of extreme stalking.