A jealous Thanet bully strangled the terrified mother of his children, while chanting: "Three minutes, three minutes… that's all it takes to kill someone."

Victim Terry Quinton later told police that she did not think she was going to leave her Margate home alive.

Now Kieron Oneill, 36, has been jailed for 45 months after admitting two assaults, making threats to kill and possessing an offensive weapon.

Prosecutor Donna East had told how Oneill, of Dane Hill, Margate, suspected his lover of having an affair with his best friend.

He carried out two attacks on his victim – one with a home-made cosh – within four days after mother-of-five Ms Quinton had planned to leave her controlling lover.

"You squeezed her throat telling her you were going to kill her. She was extremely scared and didn't think she was going to get out alive..." - Judge Heather Norton

Canterbury Crown Court heard how he tracked her down to a friend's address, smashed a window and struck her with the weapon – a metal gear knob inside a sock.

He began screaming abuse including "tramp" and "slag", before dragging her and her youngest child home.

Just three days before Christmas, he dragged his victim by the hair upstairs and punched her in the face – again in front of the child.

Ms East said Ms Quinton was so scared that despite being dressed only in her underwear she fled down the street – only to be followed by the enraged thug.

Oneill then dragged her back to the house, shouting repeatedly he was going to kill her before striking Ms Quinton over the head with a bottle.

Judge Heather Norton told him: "You placed your hands around her throat and you put your other hand over her mouth.

"You squeezed her throat telling her you were going to kill her. She was extremely scared and didn't think she was going to get out alive."

The victim later told how she was losing her breath as Oneill chanted: "Three minutes, three minutes. That's all it takes to kill someone."

Oneill later told police he had very little recollection of what had happened because he was in a rage and out of control.

He said he had been in a "tempestuous" relationship for 15 years and became angry when he suspected his partner of having an affair with his best friend.

Oneill, who kept shouting from the dock during the 15-minute hearing, was told by the judge he was an "angry man who has entrenched views".

She also ordered him to stay away from his ex-lover.

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