A little girl called her mummy a "fat slag" after hearing her vile dad repeatedly use the insult.

John Costello humiliated and degraded his long-suffering partner, sometimes in front of their three children.

The jealous thug controlled every aspect of her life, including who she spoke to and what clothes she wore.

And it led to the heartbreaking situation when their two-year-old daughter repeated his cruel jibes.

The brave victim found the courage to split up with Costello, of Bedford Road, Bootle , last April.

Liverpool Crown Court

But the 33-year-old went to his victim's home and subjected her to a cowardly attack in August.

Frank Dillon, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court the couple also have 11-month-old twin daughters.

The victim noticed a change in Costello's behaviour just three months into their relationship.

The mum-of-three described how he had alcohol issues and "became very paranoid and jealous".

Mr Dillon said: "He also became noticeably angry and aggressive around this time, and the couple constantly argued from that point onwards."

Costello accused her of socialising with other men whenever she visited her family in Southport .

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He checked her phone, had "gone mad at her" for being friends with a man on Facebook, and for texting male friends.

Costello didn't like her speaking to neighbours and even accused her of being with a neighbour's brother.

Mr Dillon said Costello called his partner names "more or less every day", including "fat slag".

He said: "He would generally put her down and make her feel horrible about herself.

"Sometimes this name-calling would take place in front of the children.

"On one occasion their eldest daughter even repeated some of the insulting names."

Costello criticised her clothing and complained when she wore a high necked T-shirt during hot weather, bizarrely claiming she was "showing her chest off".

Mr Dillon said he also resorted to physical violence, but "usually of a fairly low-level nature".

The mum was woken by banging on her windows when in bed at around 7am on August 9.

She could see Costello, who looked really angry and shouted "slag", before he let himself into her house.

He pushed her into a wall, which caused her to fall, before she went to stand outside.

Costello approached his ex from behind and punched her in the face.

She was knocked to the ground and banged her back and head on the ground.

Mr Dillon said: "Her nose was bleeding and John Costello was standing over her, shouting."

The victim called police, but Costello fled before officers arrived.

She suffered a bloodied and swollen nose, plus pain and bruising to her arms, legs, back and head.

Costello initially denied engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour and assault causing actual bodily harm.

He was also accused of biting his partner and spitting in her face during the controlling behaviour.

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Costello pleaded guilty ahead of a trial on the basis that didn't happen, which prosecutors accepted.

The victim told police he "had a very negative effect on my day to day life".

She said this still continued, adding: "I am now in fear from him every day."

The mum said: "I have changed my daily routines and my social and family life have suffered.

"Overall I feel drained and trapped by John."

The victim added: "I feel I am in danger from his violence and I am very frightened of him.

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"He says the same abusive comments to me all the time, meaning my self-esteem has become very low."

Mr Dillon said Costello had intended to "humiliate and degrade the victim".

He has multiple past convictions for drug possession, drug-driving and failing to comply with court orders.

Desmond Lennon, defending, said Costello was last convicted of violence for assaulting a police officer in 2008.

John Costello, 33, of Bedford Road, Bootle

He said Costello's guilty pleas spared his victim the "distress" of giving evidence and urged the judge to spare him jail.

Their eldest daughter, now three, lives with his mum, and he sees their twins, whose first birthday is this month, twice a week.

Mr Lennon said: "He has a very good relationship with his children and no complaints have been raised so far as his attitude towards those children is concerned."

He argued jailing Costello would adversely affect the children, who were "very much innocent parties in all of this".

Mr Lennon said front seat passenger Costello was seriously injured in a 100mph car crash in 2012.

The driver - who killed another female motorist - was jailed for seven years.

Mr Lennon said Costello drank excessively, suffered from anxiety and "smokes cannabis daily".

Judge Neil Flewitt, QC, accepted "paranoid, jealous, angry and aggressive" Costello had shown remorse "late in the day".

He said: "The most significant mitigating factor in this case is the effect that any prison sentence is likely to have on your young children.

"But any effect it does have is only a result of the way in which you have treated their mother."

Judge Flewitt added: "It seems to me the assault alone is so serious as to merit an immediate sentence of imprisonment.

"You simply cannot treat women in the way that you treated her.

"You humiliated and controlled her for the best part of three years and you committed a serious assault upon her."

Costello cried in the dock as he was jailed for 18 months and handed a five-year restraining order.