A FORMER Royal Marine from Norfolk was this week starting a nine year jail sentence in Australia for stabbing a woman 19 times hours after arriving in the country.

Paul Heywood, 28, from Gorleston, told the 30-year-old 'you're going to die now,' during sex before stabbing her in the face, chest, stomach and hands, an Australian court heard on Monday.

The 6ft 5ins former Cliff Park High School pupil had arrived in Perth with a colleague in June last year to begin work on oil surveying ships and was only due to stay in the Western Australian city for one or two nights before moving onto Broome to meet up with the vessel.

Less than 24 hours later, Heywood, who pleaded guilty to attempted murder and threats to kill, met the woman in a bar in the city's Northbridge district and returned to her house where the attack took place.

Friends, staying with the pair at the house, stopped the attack after hearing the victim's screams and rushing to help.

The victim spent nine days in hospital and needed surgery, physiotherapy and counselling.