A thug viciously attacked his partner after she threatened to reveal his shameful past as a sex offender, a court heard.

Charles Woodhams first grabbed a machete and told her he was going to cut her up into pieces and then repeatedly punched her, breaking her nose and fracturing her left eye socket.

After the assault 55-year-old Woodhams left his home in Queenborough intending to kill himself by driving his car off the Sheppey Crossing bridge.

But before he could do so he was stopped by police using a stinger device.

Woodhams was jailed for four years and eight months after admitting causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

A judge described it as a “spontaneous and savage attack”, adding: “You lost it.”

Maidstone Crown Court heard on the morning of the assault on March 2 this year the victim, who has bipolar disorder and epilepsy, argued with Woodhams because he would not let her have her medication.

“He just boiled over. I suspect there was a slow burn in the background. He was going to kill himself. He intended to drive off the bridge” - Adrian Rohard, defending

Prosecutor Charles Macdonald said Woodhams threatened to throw it in the fire at the converted shipping container in which they lived at Stalham Business Centre in Rushenden Road, where he was an engineer.

She tried to grab it and he slapped her face before the victim returned to her bed but Woodhams followed and started punching her.

He picked up a machete, held it to her throat and told her: “I am going to cut you up into small pieces and the only way you are going to leave is in a box.”

“Perhaps unsurprisingly, the victim feared for her life,” said Mr Macdonald. “He continued punching her. The next thing she remembers is waking up on the bed.”

Woodhams had gone. He called his brother, told him what had happened and declared he was suicidal.

Mr Macdonald said there was a violent background to the relationship. One one occasion he had shaved off all her hair, saying she was ugly and nobody would look at her.

Adrian Rohard, defending, said Woodhams' partner had threatened to tell everyone about his conviction in 2000 at Peterborough Crown Court for indecent assault.

He was jailed for six years.

The court heard despite preferring to live alone, Woodhams had taken the victim into his home after she had suffered violence at the hands of an ex-partner.

Judge Philip Statman told him: “You knew well fine you were dealing with someone who had difficulties. In the course of the violence you uttered threats to her.

“She was a vulnerable victim. It was a sustained assault. There was an abuse of power.”
The judge urged the authorities to place Woodhams on a domestic violence course.

Adrian Rohard, defending, said Woodhams had taken pity on her and let her move into his home.

He had moved into a workshop he was renting. The landlord allowed him to move to another unit and he made it into a home.

Woodhams would administer her medication to stop her taking an overdose. An argument started because she demanded the lot.

“She was threatening to tell everyone about his previous sexual offences,” said Mr Rohard.

“He had told her about it because he didn’t want someone turning up on his doorstep to check on him.”

Mr Rohard added: “He just boiled over. I suspect there was a slow burn in the background. He was going to kill himself. He intended to drive off the bridge.”