A man who battered his partner and stamped on her face while she was on her bedroom floor had destroyed his victim, a judge told him.

Mother-of-three Karen Jude was caused "disastrous" injuries in the brutal and frenzied attack by Andrew Hall, Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday.

Hall had maintained that he had no recollection of the "sustained and vicious" assault on his partner, which left her with life-threatening injuries and in a medically-induced coma.

The court heard the serious nature of her injuries were likely to be ongoing, it was unclear whether she would be able to lead an independent life, and her 20-year-old daughter, Katie, was now her full carer.

Jailing him for nine years, with an extended four-year licence period, Judge Colin Burn told him: "Whether or not you recall the attack, one thing is clear. This was a brutal attack, it was a frenzied attack, and it was a sustained attack.

"Karen Jude suffered massive head injuries from which it is unlikely she will ever recover."

Judge Burn said she was barely able to walk, her character had changed, and her parents, siblings and children did not recognise her as the person they once knew.

He said that had it not been for the prolonged intervention of medical experts, 52-year-old Hall could have been facing a murder charge.

The judge said Hall was a high risk of causing serious harm to a future partner and was a dangerous offender.

Hall had pleaded guilty, at the first opportunity, to causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

The attack happened on Saturday, March 16 this year, at Mrs Jude's flat at Fairhaven Green, Thorpe Edge, Bradford.

Prosecutor Duncan Ritchie said Mrs Jude was suffering from depression after separating from her husband and commencing divorce proceedings. She met Hall at Eccleshill Working Men's Club. He was on medication for depression after the break up of his marriage and an accident at work, and his consumption of alcohol increased.

The couple started a relationship and Hall moved in with her.

But the relationship deteriorated. She was unhappy about the amount of alcohol he was drinking and he was unhappy that she maintained contact with her ex-husband.

On March 16, Hall returned to the flat at 5pm after drinking while watching football and playing darts.

Mr Ritchie said Mrs Jude had been unable to make a statement due to the extent of her injuries, but at some stage the defendant carried out a vicious and prolonged attack which left her very seriously injured.

He left the flat, locking the door behind him, and drove her Renault Clio to a moorland road near Ilkley. He called his daughter, a serving police officer, and told her he had battered his partner and was going to kill himself. He was found unconscious on the back seat after taking a large prescription of medicine.

Police forced their way into the flat and found Mrs Jude lying beside the bed. Her face was swollen and she was bleeding from the ear.

Mr Ritchie said she had been struck several blows to her face with moderate force, had been repeatedly struck while on the floor and had been stamped on.

Hall's barrister, Richard Gioserano, said his client was normally a peaceful and decent man who had never before been violent, but had suddenly and inexplicably exploded. He was looking for an explanation for how he could do such a thing to somebody he cared about. It was not a pre-meditated assault and he had no previous convictions and was remorseful.