A woman was left with fractures to her jaw and 13 stitches in her face after repeated attacks by her jealous partner.

Stephen Perrin at first claimed he was being attacked by the woman when he knocked her out and caused the fractures to her jaw by punching her twice.

But his claim of self-defence was not accepted by the prosecution at Maidstone Crown Court and he then abandoned it.

Prosecutor Christopher Prior said Perrin, of Duke Terrace, White Road, Chatham, prevented his partner from leaving and pinned her to the floor.

She punched him in an attempt to break free and he then lashed out at her.

Mr Prior said police officers described the victim as being black and blue after another attack by 41-year-old Perrin.

She needed the 13 stitches after he inflicted more punches on her while she was still in bed.

Perrin pleaded not guilty to unlawful wounding and assault causing actual bodily harm, but was convicted.

He admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Archangelo Power, defending, said the violence appeared to have been borne out of jealousy.

“It is accepted that to assault a lady in her own home at night is unacceptable,” he said.

“There was a slight degree of provocation but it doesn’t excuse what he did.

“He has come to court with a bag packed. He knew what the probable outcome of this trial was likely to be.”

Mr Power said Perrin had no previous convictions for violence but had served a prison sentence for drink-driving.

Judge Martin Joy said Perrin had been convicted by the jury on overwhelming evidence of the offences committed between July 2013 and January last year.

“These are offences of domestic violence behind closed doors, which is intolerable and serious, over a considerable period of time,” he said.

Jailing Perrin for three years and four months, the judge said the sentences of 18 months, 16 months and six months had to be served consecutively.

He made an indefinite restraining order banning Perrin from contacting his former partner.