A Bexley thug who bombarded a woman with 25,000 threatening text messages has been jailed for 17 months.

Charlie Brooker, 26, of Bexley High Street, also assaulted his Maidstone victim in May 2014 after forcing her to drive him around aimlessly while continually shouting abuse at her until the pair ended up in Crayford.

He pleaded guilty to assault and making threats to kill and was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court today (November 5).

Brooker, who also threatened to headbutt a female police officer while in custody, has a long history of convictions, including many for violence and harassment.

His most recent victim received almost constant calls throughout the day and night, forcing her to unplug the telephone line at both home and work.

Detectives later downloaded about 5,000 pages of text messages from Brooker to his victim, averaging around five texts per page.

Even when police officers answered his calls on her behalf, Brooker threatened to "wring her neck".

He also told his victim he would slit her throat and harm members of her family.

The situation escalated on May 17 when Brooker forced the woman to drive him "around in circles" before finally stopping at a shop in Crayford.

While there she asked the shopkeeper to call the police because she thought Brooker was going to kill her, leading to him dragging her outside and throwing her up against the side of a delivery van.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Becky Saunders said: "Charlie Brooker is a violent offender with 44 previous convictions, most of which in recent years are for violence and harassment.

"He was in breach of a suspended sentence when committing these most recent offences and therefore now serves this term.

"Brooker is a danger to women and belongs behind bars where he can cause them no harm and where they are free from his barrage of abuse."

Brooker was sentenced to nine months for the assault and making threats to kill and a further eight months after a suspended sentence for a previous offence was activated.