A thug who left his 73-year-old former girlfriend "battered and bruised" after an unprovoked attack in her home has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Paul Day, 28, grabbed the woman by the throat when she objected to him and his friends being in her home.

The force caused her to lose her balance and she fell to the ground. Former drug addict Day then dragged her by her arms.

The pair had been in a relationship for about eight months, but it was said to have petered out on the day of the attack in April.

Day had earlier visited the woman, but then returned in the evening, letting himself and two friends in using a set of keys he had taken without her knowledge.

Maidstone Crown Court heard violence erupted when Day ignored the pensioner's repeated requests to leave and she threatened to phone the police.

Her injuries included bruising to her face, arms and body and a 2in gash to her neck.

Jailing Day, of Gillingham Road, Gillingham, Judge Charles Byers said it was "a sustained attack in which she was seized by the throat and held so firmly, a nasty tear occurred".

He added: "She was plainly battered and bruised and knocked to the floor."

When shown photographs of the victim's injuries, the judge (pictured left) said: "Goodness gracious."

He added that although he had taken Day's plea of guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm into account, he could expect "no sympathy".

Day will serve half his sentence, less 135 days already served on a combination of remand and tagged curfew.

Stephen Willmer, prosecuting, said the woman was getting ready for bed when Day and his friends arrived and began drinking vodka.

He said: "She told him she was going to bed and wanted him and his friends to leave. Day told her to be sociable and to sit down."

When she again asked him to leave he became "stroppy" and the pensioner said she was going to call the police.

Mr Willmer added: "As she was approaching the front door, the defendant grabbed the right side of her neck and pulled her back, spinning her around and causing her to lose her balance and fall to the floor.

"Her mobile phone was knocked out of her hand and she hit her face as she fell to the ground. It caused bruising to her face and a 2in gash with a flap of skin on the side of her neck.

"He then grabbed her by her arms while she was on her back, dragging her back inside."

"he said he went outside and pulled her back in by her arms because she was bigger and heavier than him..." – stephen willmer, prosecuting

The court heard she could not recall much else, other than the arrival of paramedics.

Day was arrested and told police the pensioner had tripped over the door frame as she ran out of her home and fell over.

Mr Willmer said: "He said he went outside and pulled her back in by her arms because she was bigger and heavier than him.

"He said any injuries were caused by accident."

The victim said the attack had left her in pain and struggling to sleep.

She had to move in with her family to help her recover and was considering selling her home of seven years because she felt "scared and vulnerable".

Paul Day was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court

Louise Oakley, defending Day, said the couple had met through a friend - but he did not know her true age.

"He is adamant he wasn't fully aware of her age and believed her to be in her late 40s," she said. "He met her about a year ago and had had a very difficult family life. He almost looked upon her as a mother-type figure."

Miss Oakley added that since his remand in custody, Day had begun to "address his demons".

The court heard he had first smoked cannabis at the age of 11, progressed to amphetamine and ecstasy and was then using class A drugs by 16 and up until two years ago.

"He is deeply remorseful for the pain and suffering he inflicted on that day," said Miss Oakley. "The best and only mitigation is perhaps that he pleaded guilty."