Man strangled woman and gouged at her eyes

A man who strangled and bit a woman in an assault which police said left her "traumatised" and "unrecognisable" has been jailed.

Darren Morris, 54, launched the attack on 16 March after the woman challenged him about an issue while he was staying at her house in Yate, South Gloucestershire.

He punched her, pulled her hair and gouged at her eyes before damaging two cars and smashing nine of the property's windows.

Morris, of no fixed address, was jailed for two years and eight months at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday. He had previously admitted three counts of criminal damage, one count of intentional strangulation, assault by causing actual bodily harm and one count of battery.

Avon and Somerset Police said the woman was left with facial swelling, black eyes, bite wounds and ongoing knee pain, and received hospital treatment for some of her injuries.

Morris had previously assaulted the victim and smashed household items after she asked him to leave in February, the force added.

Designated Investigative Officer Kathryn Edmunds said Darren Morris left the victim "traumatised and unrecognisable after his brutal assault".

"This outcome was made possible by the bravery of the victim in coming forward, as well as the efforts made by the team of specialist investigative officers," she added.

Edmunds said the judge in the case recognised "the high harm and culpability of the offences" in sentencing Morris.

"This sentence will protect the victim and the wider public from Morris and serve to highlight the custodial sentences handed down for violence in incidents such as this," she added.

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