JERSEY CITY -- A Jersey City rapist who once threw feces around a courtroom appeared in court on Friday on the charge of hitting his girlfriend with a metal rod.

Anthony Pigford, 48, first appeared in Central Judicial Processing in Jersey City on Wednesday on a charge that he violated the terms of his parole, but made another appearance Friday on an aggravated assault charge.

On Feb. 18, police officers responded to an Ocean Avenue home on the report of a domestic dispute, where Pigford's girlfriend told them that she had just gotten into a verbal argument with him that turned physically violent, according to a police report.

Pigford retrieved a black metal rod from the bedroom and started to hit the 40-year-old woman's right shoulder, the woman told police. After assaulting her, Pigford fled the scene on foot and she called the police, she told authorities.

She was taken to the Jersey City Medical Center-Barnabas Health by ambulance, but she did not suffer life-threatening injuries, a police report stated. The woman was well enough to talk to officers about getting a restraining order against Pigford, police said.

After that incident, a warrant was issued for Pigford's arrest on the charges of aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, the report said.

Soon afterward, Pigford was slapped with the charge of violating his parole by failing to live at a residence approved by his parole officer, according to a criminal complaint filed against him.

He didn't return to his Ocean Avenue home after the domestic violence incident, the complaint alleged.

The total bail on Pigford's new charges was set at $60,000 with a 10 percent option.

In February 1999, Pigford was sentenced to 18 years in prison for a Jersey City home invasion and brutal rape after his first trial was called off because he ate and threw excrement in court.

According to prosecutors, in 1996 Pigford forced his way into a Baldwin Avenue home where a 26-year-old home health aide was caring for two elderly and disabled people.

Prosecutors said Pigford raped the woman twice, hit her over the head with a shovel and fled with items from her pocketbook that were later found when he was arrested at his girlfriend's apartment. The rape victim became pregnant and had an abortion, according to prosecutors.

In 1998, Pigford's first trial on the rape and robbery charge ended in a mistrial after he threw a tantrum during opening statements. Pigford drew a plastic bag containing feces from his prison uniform, smeared it on his face, ate it and spit some across the courtroom while the judge, jury and sheriff's officers ducked for cover.

The 18-year sentence handed down to him in 1999 included seven years without the possibility of parole. Under current law, he would have had to serve more than 15 years before becoming eligible for parole.

According to state Department of Corrections records, Pigford has prior convictions for aggravated sexual assault, robbery, violation of community supervision, burglary, theft, receiving stolen property and obstructing a government function.

Journal staff writer Michaelangelo Conte contributed to this report.

Jonathan Lin may be reached at jlin@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @jlin_jj. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.