A 22-year-old soldier was battered with a claw hammer after he was discovered naked under a woman's bed by her boyfriend, a court heard.

Aaron Campbell, 25, struck Lee Harris 10 times, causing a compound fracture to his skull.

The victim, who was based at Brompton Barracks, Gillingham, managed to stagger away after the onslaught before a woman went to his aid.

Maidstone Crown Court heard that had it not been for her help and that of a doctor at a hotel Mr Harris would have died. He suffered two fits while waiting for an ambulance to arrive and needed help to breathe.

Campbell admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and was given an indeterminate sentence for the public’s protection.

Judge Andrew Patience, QC, told the father-of-one that he would not be considered for parole until he had served at least two years and 134 days.

"I regard this as one of the worse cases of causing grievous bodily harm with intent that I have come across," he said.

Philip St John-Stevens, prosecuting, said on the night of the attack, in June last year, Campbell and his girlfriend of four years had an argument and went out separately.

She met Mr Harris and invited him back to the home in Chatham she shared with Campbell.

They went upstairs and Mr Harris got out of bed at about 6.30am to go to the toilet. He then saw Campbell coming up the stairs with a claw hammer.

The victim hid naked under the bed but Campbell lifted it and launched a "savage attack".

It stopped when the girlfriend screamed at Campbell. He then left the house.

The victim had to be put on a ventilator to breathe. He was detained in hospital for a week and then had to undergo speech and language therapy and rehabilitation.

Michael Haynes, defending, said Campbell was "overcome and provoked" by finding a man under his bed.