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David Scott, 21, pleaded guilty to controlling/coercive behaviour when he appeared before Teesside Magistrates’ Court.

He also pleaded guilty to a charge of assault against the same person, who is six-months pregnant with his child and was at the time Scott’s carer.

The court heard that between November 1, 2019, and January 3, 2020, Scott, AKA Fitzgerald, repeatedly behaved in a way that was controlling and stopped the woman from seeing family and friends.

The case was heard at Teesside Magistrates' Court.

And, on December 21 he slapped her across the leg, which did not cause any injury.

David Ward, prosecuting, said: “The defendant and the complainant had been partners for some time, they had split up and got back together again. The complainant had been assured that he had changed.”

He said: “The controlling and coercive behaviour is that he would threaten self-harm.

“He didn’t threaten her, but it made her feel effectively that she couldn’t go out and had to stay away from her family.”

Mr Ward said it was the threats that he would self-harm if she didn’t do what he wanted that put pressure on her.

He said Scott, of the town’s Frederic Street, has no previous convictions but is the subject of a non-molestation order from the county court.

Andrew Teate, defending, said his client has a number of conditions, including autism, ADHD and learning difficulties.

He said the woman was in receipt of carer’s allowance for looking after Scott and would be aware of his difficulties and problems when she entered into the relationship.

However, he said: “The defendant accepts that when she said ‘I am going to leave the house’ or ‘I am going to go and see family’, and partly due to his mental health, if it wasn’t a course of action he wanted her to take he would threaten to harm himself.”

Mr Teate said moving forward his client will be going to live with his father in Stockton, who will be his carer.

Scott was given a 12-month community order and told to pay £200 in compensation and £300 in costs.

Hartlepool man in court for controlling his pregnant partner by threatening to harm himself