A brutal businessman who slammed the door of a camper van on his partner’s head in a drunken rage has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

The victim was left in "excruciating pain", bleeding profusely with a serious ear injury after the attack by Adrian Moon at the Hop Farm in Paddock Wood.

Maidstone Crown Court heard a prison sentence could mean the 58-year-old father’s three businesses, said to have “a healthy turnover”, were likely to fail with the possible loss of 15 jobs.

However, a judge told him: “It is with regret that, despite mitigation, I feel I have no alternative but to pass a sentence of immediate imprisonment. Nothing less will do.”

Judge David Griffith-Jones QC added: “You slammed the door against her, striking her head and splitting her ear. This was a vicious and gratuitous attack.”

The couple, who had been together for more than three years, went to the popular venue for a convention for VW camper vans on September 20, 2014.

While there Moon, of Bethersden Road, Woodchurch, took his partner’s phone and would not return it.

At one point, he grabbed her head and “whacked it on the side of the table”.

"You slammed the door against her, striking her head and splitting her ear. This was a vicious and gratuitous attack" - Judge David Griffith-Jones QC

The victim said she went to bed in the camper van in the early hours while Moon stayed up drinking with others. When she got up in the morning he was drinking vodka out of the bottle.

“I looked in the van for my phone,” she said. “I went to the sliding front passenger door. I heard him walking up behind me.

“He got hold of the door, pulled it back as far as he could, and slammed it on me as I was leaning in. It hurt so much.

“I was bleeding all over my clothes. The force had split the back of my left ear.

“My ear was literally sticking straight out from my head. It was bright purple. It didn’t look like an ear.”

She went to Pembury Hospital for treatment and Moon told her to say it was an accident.

She did so because she was afraid of him.

Moon, who had worked in the building trade, denied unlawful wounding but was convicted.

Judge Griffith-Jones made a restraining order, banning contact with his victim. Moon was also ordered to pay £1,000 towards prosecution costs.

Sasha Wass QC, defending, said it was a volatile relationship which ended after the Hop Farm incident. Moon had always maintained it was an accident.

“There is clearly another side to his personality than that presented to the jury by the victim,” said Miss Wass. “There is a kind, gentle side to Mr Moon.

“If he goes to prison straight away he will come out in effect with nothing. A cruel approach would be: What does he expect? He should have thought of that.”

Both his ex-wife of 21 years, who he was convicted of assaulting in 2005, and his current partner had provided references for him.

Submitting that a suspended sentence could be imposed, Miss Wass said Moon’s role in his three companies was critical to their survival.

“I ask to bear in mind those 15 people with jobs who will suffer immeasurably,” she told the judge.

Passing sentence Judge Griffith-Jones said Moon had an “emotional hold” over the victim, always being able to persuade her to return to him, however foolish it may seem to the objective observer.

“I have no doubt you were capable of showing genuine love and affection, and did so especially when not intoxicated by drink or drugs,” he said.

“It was this side of your character which enabled you to manipulate her so often and persuade her to return.

“She was scared of you, too scared to complain to the police because of what you might do if she did.”

The judge said of the attack: “It was vicious and gratuitous when you were drunk and caused injury which required hospital treatment.

“There was bleeding and she was in obvious distress. You were concerned more with your own sensibilities. You have since been in denial.

“I have to say the victim’s evidence was compelling and often harrowing. The nature of your defence does you no credit.

“Your attempts to portray her as the villain and you as the real victim was palpably false. The jury wasn’t fooled.”