A 48-YEAR-OLD man has been branded a public danger and jailed for six years for stabbing his partner with a vegetable knife after hearing voices telling him to attack her.

Robert Low lunged repeatedly at Michelle Dunbar with the weapon, aiming for her chest and wounding her arm, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

Low, of no fixed address, had recently been released from 15 days in custody on remand for assaulting another family member, prosecution barrister Michael Greenhalgh said.

Low, who pleaded guilty to wounding Miss Dunbar with intent to cause her grievous bodily harm on April 11, was again behind bars, pending the sentencing hearing.

Mr Greenhalgh told the court Low was sleeping on the sofa at Miss Dunbar's Bradford home but she did not want to resume their 19 year relationship.

When she again told him it was all over between them, Low threatened: "We'll see about that."

He grabbed a vegetable knife from the sink and lunged down at Miss Dunbar, who was sitting at the kitchen table.

He aimed for her chest and then stabbed her in the upper arm.

He left the house after she kicked him in the stomach, telling her: "I'll be back to finish the job."

Miss Dunbar was treated in hospital, receiving five stitches to her wound.

Low flagged down a police car searching the area for him after Miss Dunbar raised the alarm.

He told officers he heard voices in his head ordering him to pick up the knife.

Miss Dunbar said in her victim statement, read out in court, that she was now anxious, depressed and finding it hard to sleep.

Low had a previous conviction for actual bodily harm and he was sentenced to a community order in March for battery on the family member.

His barrister, Stephen Couch, handed the court psychiatric and probation reports.

He revealed that Low, a staunch Royalist, was arrested outside Buckingham Palace during the visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel in February.

He asked a guard if the Queen lived there and said he wanted to meet her, but was detained by the police because of his "demeanour".

Judge David Hatton QC sentenced Low to six years imprisonment, with an extended four year licence period.

He said Low was a danger to the public, especially to members of his family and anyone in a future relationship with him.

After the case, Sergeant Simon Howroyd, of the Bradford District Safeguarding Unit, said: "This was a nasty attack on the victim, which could have resulted in more serious injuries.

"We would like to thank her for coming forward and reporting Low's behaviour to the police, and we hope that the sentence he has received will be of some comfort to her.

"We hope it also encourages other victims of domestic abuse to come forward and report them to our specialist officers, who will investigate each case thoroughly and sensitively, with the aim of securing a conviction against offenders."