A BURLY six footer who was in a 'toxic relationship' with his girlfriend has been spared jail so he can get help with relationships.

Tyrone O'Neill was banned from contacting his vulnerable ex when he was spotted assaulting her in the street.

But the petite woman, who says she is frightened to tell the 29-year-old it is over, continued to see him despite the order to protect her.

Tessa Hingston, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how she had spent the night with him before the latest incident on Saturday September 9.

She said he was being abusive to her, as she tried to end the two year on/off relationship.

"It is correct to say it was one of those mutually destructive and toxic relationships where both have caused harm to each other, mentally if not physically," she said.

"On this day they found themselves outside the church on Frobisher Drive. He was shouting names at her.

"She appears to have been trying to walk away from him and he was grabbing her repeatedly.

"She talks of him taking her by the throat and taking her in the space between neck and chin, putting a finger in. Grabbing her arm and pushing her against a wall."

A woman making her way to the church with her children stepped in and called the police, who found her suffered severe bruising.

When he was questioned he said they had a volatile relationship but denied he had laid a finger on her, saying the injuries were when she fell over drunk.

Miss Hingston said that between June 2016 and September this year the police had been called out 39 times for domestic incidents between the pair.

She said in August last year he was convicted of assault after a member of the public called the police after seeing him punch her and pull her hair.

And in June this year magistrates imposed a community order and restraining order.

O'Neill, of Maitland Road, Walcot, pleaded guilty to battery and breach of the order.

Emma Handslip, defending, said that her client had been attacked with a knife by her in the past, but had not reported it.

"It seems the police have been used as gatekeepers in this relationship which has got to stop," she said.

"This is a highly, highly, co dependant but toxic relationship."

She said he was now caring for his father, who is blind, and accepts he cannot continue like this.

Judge Robert Pawson said "The best chance for him and her is to complete the building better relationships programme. If he breaches that or breaches the restraining order then the maximum is five years.

Passing sentence he told him "You are a large powerfully built man and large powerfully built men are often provoked, bizarre as it may sound, and you have got to learn to deal with that.

"It seems to me that I can't do any more to stop you seeing your victim than is in place already.

"It seems as plain as the nose on my face that you two are extremely bad for each other and when push comes to shove Mr O'Neill I am not impressed with 'She started it'.

"Your victim is highly vulnerable: manic depressive, alcoholic, bipolar. There had been a previous restraining order put in place. I have seen the bruising, that must have caused quite a bit of force on your part."

He imposed a four-and-a-half month sentence suspended for 18 months with a night time curfew and the relationships programme.