A MAN is behind bars today after subjecting his former partner to a "sadistic and wicked" 10-hour ordeal in which he threatened to drown her in the bath.

Shakuat Ali, 26, made 18-year- old Terri Milligan sit in a bath of cold water while he beat her with a piece of wood, Bradford Crown Court was told yesterday.

Prosecutor Martin Haigh said when she tried to get out, Ali forced her back in and continued to attack her. He said that if their 15-month-old son had been in the house he would have forced him into the bath too.

The court was told that Ali had been annoyed because Miss Milligan had a new boyfriend.

Ali got into her Huddersfield home in the early hours of Dec- ember 1 last year, found his victim in the bathroom and grabbed her hair, forced her on to the floor and started kicking her in the head. He then went to the bedroom, but returned and kicked down the bathroom door.

Miss Milligan tried to call for help out of the window, but Ali put his hand over her mouth and forced her into the bath tub.

Mr Haigh told the court Ali started hitting her with a piece of wood and started to run the hot water saying that he was going to drown her.

Ali then said that she did not deserve warm water, and Miss Milligan was screaming as he started filling the bath with cold water instead.

The court was told that when she tried to get out, Ali forced her back in and that she only managed to escape after Ali had fallen asleep some 10 hours later.

Ali, of Holly Road, Thornton Lodge, was arrested and made no comment in interview, but pleaded guilty earlier this year to a charge of false imprisonment.

Abdul Iqbal, for Ali, said his client had a problem with alcohol and drugs and urged the judge to impose a community penalty.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC said the public would be outraged if he did not send Ali to prison and jailed him for 21 months. He said Ali had been "cruel and sadistic" and said that he was a real risk to women.