A thug who knocked down his ex-girlfriend in his car, leaving her with serious head injuries, has been jailed for three years and four months.

Eriks Urtans had been to visit Jelena Jurcenko in Chatham to collect some of his belongings when he reversed his Mercedes at her.

The Latvia-born 35-year-old father had been accused of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and the prosecution did not accept his guilty plea to the lesser charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

But prosecutor Danny Robinson said on Tuesday the case had been reviewed and the plea was now acceptable. The maximum sentence was five years imprisonment.

The offence was committed against a background of a toxic relationship, which started after they met on the internet.

Miss Jurcenko, 30, was jailed for a year in November 2013 for stabbing Urtans in his chest and abdomen at their then home in Cryol Road, Ashford.

“She was operated on and kept in a coma until October 6. She was admitted to a rehabilitation unit in December. The effect on her is fairly traumatic” - Danny Robinson

He was taken by air ambulance to a London hospital for surgery. Miss Jurcenko was convicted of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Mr Robinson said Urtans, of Luton Road, Chatham, told police the victim was drunk during their meeting on September 17 last year.

She tried to take the keys from his car ignition, he said, and was holding onto his wing mirror when he reversed in Stevens Close.

CCTV footage showed an obscured view of the incident. After Miss Jurcenko went to the ground Urtans tried to get her back up.

“She is in a fairly bad way by then,” Mr Robinson told Maidstone Crown Court. “She can’t really stand up. He manages to put her in the car.”

Urtans drove her to the home in Gordon Road they had shared where he called an ambulance.

Because of her injuries she was unable to give a statement.

“She suffered quite severe brain injuries,” said Mr Robinson. “Her condition deteriorated the day after being taken to hospital.

“She was operated on and kept in a coma until October 6. She was admitted to a rehabilitation unit in December. The effect on her is fairly traumatic.”

The couple have a son who will be one in March.

“It is evident she suffered a traumatic brain injury. She needs support for daily living. It goes without saying the effects of what occurred that day are going to live with her for the rest of her life" - Judge Heather Baucher

He is in the care of Miss Jurcenko’s sister. Urtans also has a son, aged eight, by a previous girlfriend.

Urtans, who has been in the UK for 10 years, had a previous conviction in August 2010 for actual bodily harm on a previous partner when he was jailed for nine months.

Judge Heather Baucher said the attack involved a “dangerous weapon” in the form of a car.

“This court will not tolerate domestic violence in any shape or form, whether it is male or female,” she said.

“It is evident she suffered a traumatic brain injury. She needs support for daily living. It goes without saying the effects of what occurred that day are going to live with her for the rest of her life.

“She is unable to look after her son. So the effect of what you did has had far-reaching consequences.”

Urtans was jailed for three years for GBH and four months consecutive for breach of the suspended sentence.