A THUG tortured his terrified lover for 10 hours telling her at one stage: “I’m going to murder you tonight and get away with it.”

Henry Laverty tormented Denise Bell including slashing her with a craft knife.

The blade-wielding 28 year-old also ordered her to put out her wrist and, fearing she was going to die, he simply ditched the weapon and laughed.

Miss Bell only managed to escape his clutches by sneaking out after he fell asleep.

Laverty was later held by police leading to him admitting to an assault charge as he appeared at the High Court in Glasgow on Friday, July 29.

Laverty was jailed for five years as a judge heard claims he still “loves” Miss Bell.

The court heard the couple had lived together in Clackmannan.

The attack happened after a drunken Laverty returned home from a day out with friends on June 21 last year.

The torture began as Laverty slapped his lover each time he asked her to come near him.

Miss Bell eventually persuaded him to go bed in the early hours, but, as she then joined him, he chillingly asked: “How would you feel if I put boiling water over you?”

Crazed Laverty then spat in her face and burst her nose with a punch.

Prosecutor Paul Brown said: “She stood up and Laverty started calling her ‘a grass’ and the ‘weakest link’.”

Laverty refused to let Miss Bell – who was in her underwear – get dressed.

He then appeared to be “almost caring” before suddenly stating: “What am I going to do with you?”

Laverty coolly ran his finger down the side of her face in a “slashing motion” and started counting how many stitches she would need.

Mr Brown said Miss Bell was “utterly terrified” and in “a sheer panic”.

Laverty brandished a craft knife as his hysterical partner pleaded with him.

He initially slashed her on the finger before wounding her leg. Miss Bell recalled blood “gushing” onto the bed.

Laverty claimed a simple plaster would fix the “cuts”.

He went on to threaten: “I’m going to murder you tonight and I’m going to get away with it.”

Laverty put on a pair of gloves, grabbed the blade again and ordered Miss Bell to “give him her wrist”.

Miss Bell begged: “Please don’t, Henry.”

Mr Brown told the court: “She held out her hand - he held it gently with the knife in the other hand.

“She was convinced that she was about to die.

“Laverty looked at her for a moment then laughed and threw the knife on the floor.”

The court heard the ordeal lasted the “whole night”.

Laverty eventually nodded off after 7am allowing Miss Bell to sneak out and finally escape.

She ended up in hospital where she needed treatment for the injuries to her hand and leg.

Laverty was later held by police, but he refused to say anything about the attack.

The court heard Laverty suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from his time in the military.

His lawyer said the court case has been “a huge wake up call” for him.

Sarah Livingstone, defending, added: “Mr Laverty tells me he loved (Miss Bell) and still does, but he has lost her forever.”

Judge Sean Murphy QC said Laverty had tortured Miss Bell both “physically and psychologically”.

He told him: “Miss Bell was terrified throughout and, at times, genuinely thought she was going to be killed

“You now accept that your behaviour was despicable.”

Laverty will also be supervised for a further two years on his release.