A man fractured the eye socket and jaw of his former partner in a ferocious drunken attack after she refused to have sex with him, a court has heard.

Brad Dartington, 53, also put his hands around the throat of his former partner after she had thrown a bottle of perfume at him during the argument.

Norwich Crown Court heard the victim received fractures to her eye socket and jaw bone in the attack at a friend's house in Norwich in November last year.

The assault happened less than six months after a previous incident where Dartington had grabbed her around the throat.

Chris Youell, prosecuting said the victim was "punched repeatedly in the face" by Dartington.

Dartington was asked to leave after the attack while the victim, who was bleeding from the face, went to hospital with "large facial swelling and bruising and bleeding inside both eyes.

Mr Youell said she was to receive surgery and had to have a metal plate fitted, for the fractures to the eye socket and jaw bone.

A statement from the victim, who had been in a relationship with Dartington since July 2019, described how she had been "in shock" after the attack.

She said she felt "emotionally numb" and that she was "shoved in a box as a domestic violence victim".

The victim was also found to be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and had panic attacks as a result of the assault on November 20 2021.

Dartington, from Hertfordshire, appeared at court on Monday (September 12) having admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent.

He also admitted a previous incident when he put his hands around her throat between May 31, 2021, and July 1, 2021.

Jailing Dartington for a total of 20 months Judge Andrew Shaw said only immediate imprisonment could be justified for the "force and ferocity" of the attack which happened just months after a previous assault.

Judge Shaw said: "This was a serious assault causing serious injury in a domestic context and its not the first assault you've committed".

Rob Pollintgon, mitigating, said the incident was "appalling" but insisted the defendant knows this and "accepts full responsibility" for the injuries caused to his former partner.

He said Dartington was "disgusted and ashamed" by his actions and was "genuinely remorseful" following the "spontaneous and short-lived assault".

Dartington was also made the subject of an indefinite restraining order meaning he cannot contact the victim directly or indirectly until further order.