'An extreme use of violence': Man poured kettle of scalding water over his girlfriend's face after she made sex offender insult

James Kaye was jailed after a judge rejected his claims that he meant to splash her with cold water in order to wake her up while she was drunk.

Leeds Crown Court heard Kaye carried out the attack on his partner at his home on Elmfield Avenue, Longwood, Huddersfield, on November 6 this year.

The victim needed hospital treatment for scalds and blisters to her face after the incident.

Kaye pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm but denied he had deliberately boiled the kettle in a bid to injure her.

During a hearing to determine the facts of the case, Kaye told the court that his partner had turned up at his home and appeared drunk.

The defendant said he made her a coffee and told her he wanted to her leave.

The 62-year-old old said he then filled his kettle with cold water and poured some of it onto her face to wake her up.

Kaye said his partner woke up and became abusive, calling him a "nonce".

The defendant then claimed he went back to the kitchen and returned 45 minutes later to find the woman asleep again.

He told the court he poured water on her from the kettle a second time but the water had boiled.

Kaye said: "As soon as I started I saw the steam. It was too late. I got cold water and put it on her then filled the sink with cold water.

"I just didn't realise. I thought it was still cold. I never realised I had switched it on. There is a little catch at the bottom of the handle.

"It must have boiled and I did not know."

She stayed at his home and went to a friend's house the next day.

Kaye said the friend sent him a picture of the woman's injuries before she went to hospital.

The incident was then reported to the police and Kaye was arrested.

Robin Freize, mitigating, said Kaye does not have a history of violence.

He said: "Whatever the problems between the two of them, they clearly cared for each other. She says in her statement that she loved him."

Sentencing, Judge Christopher Batty said: "This was a short but extreme use of violence."

The judge told Kaye: "On this occasion it was born out of frustration because you effectively could not get her to leave when you wanted her to leave.

"The method which you used to sort that out by pouring boiling or very nearly boiling water on her is unacceptable.

"I'm afraid it is just too serious to warrant anything other then an immediate custodial sentence."