A serial domestic abuser has been jailed for a catalogue of offences against two former partners going back to 2005.

Thomas Ferns was described as a “violent and controlling man” when being sent to prison for 17 months.

The 30-year-old carried out numerous attacks on two women in Cardenden and Lochgelly and pressed his thumb into the eye of his partner during one incident.

On another occasion he became enraged when a work colleague poured beer into his shoes at a bowling alley but took out his anger on his partner, grabbing her around the throat.

Ferns' violence brought that relationship to an end but he then abused, both physically and mentally, another woman.

This partner sustained a black eye during a vicious attack in which he kicked her. He also spat on her and regularly made offensive remarks to her.

Dunfermline Sheriff Court was told that Ferns’ name was highlighted at a multi-agency body following more recent offending and as a result the Domestic Abuse Task Force was asked to investigate.

This led to previous partners being interviewed and the past offending coming to light for the first time.

Ferns pleaded guilty to a string of offences against two previous partners.

On various occasions between November 14 2005 and November 30 2008 at Station Road, Cardenden, he conducted himself in a disorderly manner, damaged doors and walls by punching them, threw household items, shouted, swore and uttered offensive remarks towards his then partner, all to her fear and alarm, and committed a breach of the peace.

On various occasions between January 1 2007 and November 30 2008 at Station Road, Cardenden, and at Bowlplex, Fife Leisure Park, Dunfermline, he assaulted her, pushed and held her, crushed crisps into her hair, pushed her against a wall, pressed his thumb into her eye, grabbed her by the throat and pushed her against a wall, to her injury.

He also admitted that, on various occasions between November 1 2010 and January 31 2011 at Main Street, Lochgelly, he assaulted another woman, his then partner, pushed her against a wall, kicked her and spat on her, to her injury.

And on various occasions between October 29 2010 and January 31 2011 at Main Street, Lochgelly, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing and uttering offensive remarks towards her.

The court heard Ferns has served a string of prison sentences and has been on remand for the current offences since May. He committed further incidents of domestic abuse against other partners in 2013, 2015 and 2016.

Sheriff Charles Macnair told Ferns, “Domestic abuse of this kind is an invidious offence because of the impact on the victims.

“They can have difficulty in leaving and it can have a significant on their physical and mental well-being.

“You are a controlling and violent man towards partners.”

He jailed Ferns for 17 months and he will be subject to a supervised release order for eight and a half months when he leaves prison.