Bristol man held knife to his girlfriends's throat
Darren Bingham held a kitchen knife to the woman's throat and later made threats when she told him to leave, Bristol Crown Court heard.
Bingham, 25, of Machin Gardens, admitted two charges of making a threat to kill.
While passing sentence, Judge David Ticehurst told him: "It's difficult to understand the effect that this bullying and threatening behaviour would have had on your partner and her children.
"I accept it was unlikely you would have done anything violent or seriously violent."
The judge told Bingham to attend a domestic abuse programme, saying: "I hope you have learned your lesson. Grow up, mature, and behave sensibly and in a kindly fashion."
Judge Ticehurst said any breaches of the order would be dealt with by him.
Ian Fenny, prosecuting, told the court Bingham was frustrated because the woman's parents "thoroughly" disapproved of him.
He said that on one occasion the couple argued over money before Bingham grabbed a blade, pinned her against a wall and made slashing gestures.
Mr Fenny told the court: "He said he was going to kill her. He intended she should believe it."
The court heard that on another occasion Bingham was said to be in an aggressive mood and, as a result, the woman told him to go.
Mr Fenny said it was then that Bingham threatened to kill both her and her parents and he was said to be "angry and unstable".
Bingham accepted it was a volatile relationship and there were occasions when he used an inappropriate degree of force.
Tabitha Macfarlane, defending, said Bingham had said things in anger and in the heat of the moment.
She told the court the relationship had ended, there had been no problems since, and he was in a new relationship.
She said: "He has always worked. He lost his job as a result of these matters. He's not been working since because he has been waiting to get today out of the way."
Bingham did not want to re-offend, the court heard.
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