A bully sat in a wheelchair has been jailed for 10 years for a brutal attack on an ex-partner which left her arm broken in two places.

But the judge who passed the sentence on thug Gary Corbett told him he was using the aid just for sympathy.

Recorder George Pulman QC said: “In a report it says you are a man who is disabled and has to use a wheelchair to move around.

“I believe your level of disability is being exaggerated by you and your use of a wheelchair is to gain sympathy and to make your attack seem less serious.”

Osteoarthritis-sufferer Corbett, 58, of Jutlands Close, Allhallows, was convicted by a jury of causing grievous bodily harm with intent on his ex, false imprisonment and making threats to kill.

Canterbury Crown Court heard how Corbett had assaulted his girlfriend in September 2015 after smashing a bottle over her head and breaking her arm.

The victim fled to Spain but returned to the UK and although Corbett was banned from seeing her the two met up.

But the jury heard how in February this year they began drinking cider before she went to bed.

She awoke being dragged from the bed and grabbed by the hair and marched into the sitting room where she was told to sit on a sofa.

The judge heard how he had armed himself with a bread knife and shouted: “If police are called I will kill you... slit your stomach open... then the police.”

The victim – who told the judge that Corbett was able to walk without the use of the wheelchair – said she was then slapped around the face and threatened with having hot coffee poured over her.

She begged him to drop the knife and allow her to leave - but he refused and eventually she escaped after jumping from a sitting room window in her underwear and hoodie and raised the alarm after hiding in a neighbour’s porch.

The judge told him he had launched a violent and repeated assault on his partner, showing “agility and strength”.

Corbett claimed he made the death threats when he was drunk but the judge retorted: “These weren’t the ramblings of a drunken man.”

Investigating officer Detective Constable James Chichester said: "Gary Corbett has refused to show any remorse or take any responsibility for this extremely violent and degrading assault, and in fact blamed the victim, accusing her of inflicting these horrific injuries upon herself in a desperate attempt to avoid justice.

"I hope she can find peace after this result and is able to move forward with her life. Corbett now has a considerable amount of time to reflect upon his crime and the pain he has caused to the victim, and the affect that his malicious sadistic nature has had upon his family.

"Kent Police takes domestic violence very seriously and we will pursue those who commit such crimes."