A JAILED knife offender who abducted his partner and held her prisoner in his flat has breached a five-year non-harassment order from behind bars — but won't spend any extra time in prison.

Charles Stewart repeatedly assaulted the woman and forced her to endure an overnight ordeal from which she only managed to escape after he eventually fell asleep and she was able to send a desperate text message to her mother.

Stewart, 28 — who is barred from approaching or contacting his victim in any way — penned a letter to her from his jail cell which has been described by his lawyer as being from a man 'pining for a lost love'.

Greenock Sheriff Court heard how the woman contacted police after opening the correspondence and instantly recognising Stewart's handwriting.

Prosecutor Frankie Morgan said: "The accused's prisoner number and his signature were on the letter and a forensic examination confirmed his fingerprints."

Stewart, formerly of Tower Drive in Gourock, was jailed in December 2018 and he sent the letter to the woman last May.

During the incident at his flat, he threatened to slash his own face and blame it on her if she fled.

He seized his victim's phone to prevent her from calling for help and even soaked her shoes in his kitchen sink.

The woman had taken exception to a video he'd shot of her and posted on Facebook and had made for the front door before he blocked her path and dragged her into the living room by her hair.

After he allowed her to use the toilet he presented the knife at the sobbing woman and told her: "You better shut up."

The woman made attempts to open windows and shout for help but Stewart overpowered her and locked his verandah doors.

He again pulled her by the hair and threw her onto a bed in his living room before sitting on the couch with the knife and a baseball bat beside him.

He was still dozing the following morning when she woke and managed to raise the alarm, which resulted in police having to force their way into the property.

Defence lawyer David Tod said of the harassment order breach: "It is a case where Mr Stewart now accepts that the relationship is over.

"The contents of the letter were not abusive.

"His state of mind was one of pining for a lost love."

Mr Tod added: "He has an extended sentence so if he does anything wrong after his release [in March] he will be back in prison for at least another 18 months."

Sheriff John Higgins said: "Because of the nature of the offence and your previous conviction and current status there is no method of dealing with you other than custody."

Stewart was sentenced to two months, to be absorbed into his current sentence, so his release date will not be affected.