A WOMAN whose life was tormented by the violence of her former lover fears he will take his revenge when he is freed from prison.

Clive Thomas, aged 44, was given an indefinite jail term at Blackfriars Crown Court, with a recommendation he serve at least 27 months before being considered for parole.

Thomas waged a reign of terror against his former partner and her new boyfriend which culminated in an axe attack on her home, reminiscent of the film The Shining.

Despite a restraining order, Thomas turned up at her home last year brandishing a knife and attacked the couple's cars, petrol-bombing one of them.

After being released from custody he went back and tried to force his way into the house with a pickaxe.

Four days later, Thomas was involved in a violent incident at the home of another of his former girlfriends.

Thomas, of Launcelot Road, Bromley, admitted two charges of breaching a restraining order, three of destroying property, arson, affray, possessing articles with intent to damage property, having an article with a blade or a point, dangerous driving and common assault.

Jailing him, Judge Patricia Knowles said it was clear Thomas posed "a serious risk of harm" to former partners and their boyfriends.

His former partner, who is 39 and does not want to be identified, said when she broke up with Thomas, after seeing him for a year, he warned her "I am going to be your worst nightmare".

Within months, Thomas had smashed up her Sidcup home and scrawled abuse on the walls in paint.

She said: "Then he destroyed the garden, stole things, scattered the drive with glass, pushed the rubbish bin against the house wall and set fire to it and ripped all the washing off the washing line."

At night, she would find him staring through the window.

She added: "He smashed the windows in. He used to hide in the bushes in the dark."

But she claimed she and her family got little protection from the courts.

She said: "Bexley magistrates were a joke. Every time he was charged with something they let him back out on bail. He would do something else and they still let him out."

And she does not believe her nightmare is over.

She said: "I don't think I will be able to get away from him. His previous partner moved to get away from him but he found her. He will still find us if he wants to.

"We have been through hell and we are lucky to be alive."