A JEALOUS man has been warned he faces jail after slamming his partner’s leg in a car door and kneeling on her neck at Brightlingsea Marina.

Joshua Sergeant, 26, of Melrose Road, West Mersea, admitted assault, causing actual bodily harm and two counts of sending electronic communications to cause distress after accusing the woman of cheating on him.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard Sergeant sent threatening Whatsapp messages on October 7, including that he would “shoot the men - and then myself”.

Two days later, he pretended to be her while using her phone to “illicit a confession” of infidelity from a man. Despite a denial, Sergeant slapped his partner.

Richard Potts, prosecuting, said events took a “worse turn” on October 31 following a night out with friends in Colchester.

He again made accusations of infidelity and, after driving the group to the friend’s home, he again hit his partner.

Mr Potts added: “He said ‘it’s only a back hander, nothing major’.”

The court heard Sergeant, who previously lived in Clacton, then repeatedly slammed her leg in the car door and dragged her out of the vehicle by her hair.

He then drove “erratically” to Brightlingsea Marina where he grabbed her by the throat, pulled her to the ground and knelt on her neck.

The concerned friends pulled Sergeant from the victim, following which she fled in the car.

Richard Conley, mitigating, said “Mr Sargeant has demonstrated real shame and genuine contrition about his behaviour and his actions.

“This is a person who encountered a set of personal circumstances which put him to the brink of suicide – and he has come back from that and sought help.”

Sergeant also admitted being concerned in the supply of cannabis and cocaine after police discovered drugs in a padlocked bag in Chapel Lane, Thorrington, in June 2018.

It included 2.7kg of skunk cannabis with a potential street value as high as £54,000.

Mr Potts accepted Sergeant was a cannabis user and was “acting as a custodian of the drugs” to pay off a drugs debt.

Judge Mary Loram QC adjourned sentencing until March 4 for reports to be prepared, but warned Sergeant he faces an immediate custodial sentence.