A man who murdered his girlfriend in a jealous rage was branded a “disgraceful coward and a bully” by a judge who jailed him for life.

Powerfully-built Santosh Kumar’s 20-minute assault on 5ft 3ins Samantha Warren was described by Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC as “deliberate, pitiless and cruel.”

Judge Durham Hall, who ordered that Kumar serve a minimum term of 20 years before he can be considered for parole, told him: “There is a deal of cruelty and sadism about you.

“Your utter callousness thereafter, of preventing Samantha Warren from seeking medical attention, is unbelieveable. Had you done so she would, in all probability, have survived.”

Kumar, 43, was yesterday convicted of murder by a majority verdict of 10-2 by a jury at Bradford Crown Court.

Slightly-built Miss Warren, 33, who weighed only eight and a half stone, suffered fatal bleeding on the brain and died in Bradford Royal Infirmary, three days after Kumar attacked the mother-of-three at her home in Libbey Street, Manningham, Bradford, in April. She also suffered two black eyes, a broken nose, and a fractured rib and finger.

Kumar then prevented her getting medical help until it was too late, even driving her away from the hospital after a porter saw her slumped in the footwell of the car.

Kumar, of Crosley Wood Road, Bingley, who pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Miss Warren but denied her murder, was insecure and jealous and constantly accused her of being unfaithful, prosecutor Paul Greaney QC had told the court.

The fatal attack took place after he discovered she had taken her car for an MOT a year earlier to the garage of a completely innocent man he suspected her of having a relationship with.

But Judge Durham Hall said: “You killed this woman because she had the temerity to have her car MOTed.”

He said she had texted him to plead with him to understand that she was loyal and faithful.

The judge added: “There is no evidence to suggest that this long-suffering poor lady was other than trapped, but completely faithful.” He described her as a “thoroughly decent, hard-working person”.

He said the relationship was made a nightmare for Miss Warren, a care worker, by Kumar’s persistent domestic abuse. He had been violent on a number of occasions, including an assault in January which left her with a subdural haemorrhage. And he had threatened, in a text message, to break her jaw.

After the case, Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Jon Morgan, said: “Kumar was consumed in jealousy, triggering a brutal and violent response which Samantha Warren could never have expected. He showed no regard for her welfare and only concern around concealing his actions.

“The sentence should serve as a warning to the perpetrators of domestic violence. Such behaviour will not be tolerated nor accepted in our city and those who commit offences of this nature will be dealt with to the full extent of the law.

“I would also call on the victims, who often suffer in silence, to have the confidence to report it. We can do something about it, no matter how complicated you believe the circumstances to be.

“You can call us anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.”

Kumar, a delivery driver, claimed his girlfriend fell face down on the kitchen floor after he slipped while pulling her arm.

After the verdict Miss Warren’s father said Kumar had got his “just deserts”.