A CITY man has been jailed for  twice attacking his girlfriend  during their “volatile” relationship and failing to pay a £100  taxi fare when the couple were  arguing.

Marc Gunn, 27, was sent to  prison for 28 weeks, at Exeter  Crown Court, for two assaults,  making off without payment  and breaching a suspended jail  sentence.

He was also given a year’s  restraining order to stay away  from his estranged girlfriend.

 Gunn’s last official address  was Exeter Prison, where he  was remanded in custody. The  court heard he previously lived  at an unnamed address in Exwick in the city.

Gunn, who admitted the offences, appeared in court wearing a black crucifix and chain  over a white jumper.

Prosecutor Ann Hampshire  said the first assault happened  when the couple were on holiday in Cornwall in October last  year.

She said: “The victim describes the relationship as  volatile and him being controlling and arguments happening between them on a regular  basis.”

The prosecutor said that the  woman told Gunn she was ending the relationship, so he  “flipped” and pushed her head  against a car window.

 The court heard Gunn had  pleaded guilty on the basis that  he pushed her away from him,  causing her to hit her head on  the window, but did not use any  other violence.

She returned home the next  day but Gunn turned up and  followed her inside her home.

“After a few weeks, he left,”  said the prosecutor.

 “She felt like a prisoner in her  own home, as he refused to  leave.

“She told him the relationship was at an end.”

During the same month,  Gunn used a car from Gemini  Taxis, saying he wanted to  travel to his home in Exwick.

He then said there was a  change of plan, the taxi collected his estranged girlfriend  from Torquay, brought the  couple back to Exeter and they  began rowing.

The couple left the taxi, still  arguing, without Gunn paying  the £100.40 fare.

Gunn handed himself into  Heavitree Road Police Station  that month, and was bailed.

He assaulted the woman  again on December 28.

The court heard he attacked  her during a car journey  through Exeter, punching her  face, causing a bleeding nose.

The woman said he also bit  her arm when she tried to stop  him leaving the vehicle, although he did not pierce her  skin.

The prosecutor said: “Gunn’s  contact, which we say was intimidation of her, carried on at  hospital when he sent her three  text messages, including one  saying ‘I can’t leave this, I love  you so much, sorry.’”

Gunn was then arrested on  January 6 this year, hiding behind a bedroom door at his  mother’s home in the city.

Gunn has 17 previous convictions, including some for violence.

Defence counsel David Evans  said: “The relationship is well  and truly over and behind  him.”

Judge Stephen Wildblood QC  told Gunn: “You accept there is  going to be a custodial sentence,  quite rightly, and I direct you  are given credit for those days  spent in custody.”