A BULLYING boyfriend who controlled his fiancée’s life has admitted controlling and coercive behaviour.

Robert Andrews imposed a curfew on his partner and phoned her repeatedly to check on her even when she was at work or shopping with her mother.

The victim, a young mother who met Andrews in 2019, got engaged and became pregnant with his child, who was born in April 2020.

They lived in Cheddon Fitzpaine, but his behaviour became more controlling in the final weeks of her pregnancy.

On one occasion he pushed her against a cupboard and another time he caught a child’s hand in a door when he slammed it during an argument.

Andrews and his fiancée used their phones to film each other during their rows, in which she and two children could be heard crying.

He even taunted her, saying her complaints would not be believed, adding: "I’ll see you in court."

She forced him to leave home by threatening to scream in the background of his remote work teleconferences during lockdown, but let him return when he apologised and promised to control his anger.

She later told police he effectively imposed a curfew on her and grabbed her phone to stop her calling for help.

Andrews, 36, now of Roman Ridge, Gelligaer, Caerphilly, admitted controlling and coercive behaviour at Exeter Crown Court.

Judge Anna Richardson adjourned his case until next month for sentence.

He was released on bail with a condition not to contact his ex-partner or go to Cheddon Fitzpaine.

Nicholas Lee, prosecuting, said there was a series of arguments and incidents between February and May 2020 which left the fiancée distressed and in fear.

There was also a dispute about how much each would get from the money they had saved for their wedding.

Mr Lee said Andrews kept her in her home, took her phone and house and car keys off her, assaulted her, shouted in her face and tried to control her finances.

During lockdown there were numerous arguments and Andrews would shout and scream in her face and the ranting would go on all day and into the evening.

He used emotional manipulation to undermine her and stop her seeing her mother and stepfather and undermined her attempts to tell off her older child.

Patrick Mason, defending, said he hoped the plea would bring a "bit of closure to a messy relationship".