A LOVE RAT who made a woman's life "a living hell" after she blew the whistle on his two-timing antics, has been jailed for 14 months.

Andy Ancell's campaign of abuse began after his victim Amanda Wolstencroft told his then girlfriend she had seen him with another woman - and she took an overdose.

Burnley Crown Court heard 36-year-old Ancell, of Cattle Street, Great Harwood, then carried out a two month course of terror threats and abuse, which left victim Miss Wolstencroft suicidal and not wanting to leave her house.

David Macro, prosecuting, said early last July Miss Wolstencroft met Ancell in a pub and saw him with another woman. He told the victim he had split with his then partner and had found someone else.

When Miss Wolstencroft discovered this was not true she told her friend what she had seen, causing her to take an overdose. While at the hospital Miss Wolstencroft answered her friend's phone. Ancell said it was all her fault and she was going to die.

The prosecutor said Ancell would then walk past her house repeatedly, kick her door and threaten that she would 'get everything coming to her.' Mr Macro said the Ancell even approached the victim's 11-year-old daughter and told her that her mother was going to die. The girl was left shocked and was shaking so much she could hardly speak.

Miss Wolstencroft began to fear leaving her own home and would only go out if it was absolutely necessary.

Ancell's behaviour had affected her mental health and she wanted to kill herself and her children so they wouldn't have to suffer the torment anymore. She was visited every day by the mental health team, spent hours in tears for nothing and her sleep was affected.

Ancell was arrested in August but initially denied what had happened.

Martin Hackett, defending, said the offence was very scary for the victim, but Ancell did not take things a step further and use violence. The defendant, who had problems, was assessed by the probation service as posing a moderate risk of harm to others.

Ancell, who has previous convictions for offences of violence and involving threats and weapons, pleaded guilty to harassment, between last July and September. He was jailed for 14 months and also given 12 months extended licence.