'An appalling attack': Nine months pregnant Leeds woman brutally attacked with wooden broom on Christmas Day by jealous partner

James Kilcoyne used a broom handle to inflict injuries on the victim and threatened to stab her with it.

He also punched her repeatedly in the face before she managed to escape from their flat in Belle Isle, Leeds, covered in blood.

Kilcoyne was jailed for 33 months for the attack on the woman on December 25 last year.

Ian Mullarkey, prosecuting, said the victim was days away from giving birth when she was attacked by Kilcoyne.

The defendant flew into a rage and accused the woman of cheating on him.

He picked up a wooden broom and hit her with it before grabbing her by the neck and punching her five times to the face with his fist.

Kilcoyne then said to the woman: "Tell me who he is or I will stab you with this broom."

Blood was pouring from her face and she was screaming in pain.

She managed to get out of the flat and banged on a neighbour's door to raise the alarm.

The neighbour called an ambulance and she was taken to hospital for treatment.

She had a head wound glued back together. The victim also suffered serious bruising to her ribs.

The woman gave birth on January 12.

Kilcoyne was arrested and claimed he struck his partner after she attacked him.

Mr Mullarky said the Crown did not accept Kilcoyne's claim that he had been attacked or provoked by the woman.

Kilcoyne, now of Greennmout Street, Beeston, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He has previous convictions for robbery, assault and burglary.

He was out of prison on licence at the time of the attack.

Michael Walsh, mitigating, said Kilcoyne was "disgusted" with himself.

Mr Walsh said: "He is a man who finds himself before the court again and he knows that an immediate custodial sentence must follow."

Sentencing, Judge Simon Batiste said: "It was an appalling and sustained attack that took place against someone who was particularly vulnerable.

"You claim to have remorse about your behaviour. I am cynical about that given you did not plead guilty at the earliest opportunity."