A 'jealous and possessive' man attacked his ex-partner after bombarding her with threatening text messages and hacked off her hair because he knew just how much it meant to her, a court heard.

Alexander Nicol, 52, entered the woman's home at night as she was in bed, armed with scissors and two knives and put her in fear of her life during the attack, Norwich Crown Court heard.

Richard Paterson, prosecuting, said Nicol told the victim he had come to kill her, but the victim, although terrified, managed to keep Nicol talking and calmed him down.

He said she was secretly able to message her neighbour to call police, who then arrived at the scene and arrested Nicol.

Mr Paterson said as well as recovering two knives, they also found the scissors used to hack off her hair and found clumps of the victim's hair on the floor.

He said the victim suffered bruising and minor injuries and was left with a bald patch, but had not wanted to make any impact statement about her ordeal.

He said when Nicol's home was searched, cannabis plants were found at his address.

Nicol, of Coughtrey Close, Sprowston, Norwich, admitted making threats to kill and causing actual bodily harm on December 6, last year. He also admitted another assault and possession of cannabis

Jailing Nicol for four years, Recorder Guy Ayers told him he was a 'possessive and jealous' man and said: 'You bombarded your former partner with texts. Not affectionate texts, they were threatening texts and abusive.'

He said he had gone to her home with three weapons and said: 'You made it clear to her that your purpose for being there was to kill her and your intention was for her to take that threat seriously.'

He said the ordeal must have been terrifying for the victim and said 'You then attacked her with some scissors doing little physical harm to her but you deliberately targeted her hair and cut off large chunks of her hair because you knew it is something that means a great deal to her.'

He said he had carried out the attack to humiliate her.

Recorder Ayers said the victim managed to de-escalate the situation by talking to him and said: 'This was an awful ordeal for the lady concerned.'

Recorder Ayers also imposed a restraining order on Nicol not to contact his ex-partner in future.

Andrew Oliver, for Nicol, who appeared over a video link from Peterborough jail, said that Nicol was desperate to get back with his ex-partner.

'It was borne out of huge jealously and paranoia.'

He said that Nicol had targeted her hair because he knew she considered her hair as an attribute.

Mr Oliver said he wanted to win her back and said:'He clearly accepts he went about it in the wrong way.'

He said that Nicol had shown remorse and written a letter to the victim to say he was sorry.

'He knows the relationship is over.'

He said that Nicol had a number of health issues.