Stephen Child, 29, appeared before York Crown Court for sentencing after a vicious attack on Samantha Clarke, occasioning her actual bodily harm.

A judge heard how the attack in her own home had left her covered in blood, with bruised eyes, a swollen jaw and swelling to the left side of her face.

Sentencing Child, of Merrydale, Eastfield, to an extended sentence of four years – two years custody from which he will only be released if the parole board are satisfied that he no longer presents as a danger to the public, followed by two years on licence – Judge Stephen Ashurst described it as "a particularly bad example of domestic violence".

He added that Child was a danger, not particularly towards the public at large, but towards women who he may become involved with in the future.

Child was told by Judge Ashurst that he had given Miss Clarke "a very severe beating" adding: "I have to have an eye on the wider protection of the public and women who you may have a relationship with in the future fall under that category."

Nick Barker, prosecuting, told the court that Miss Clarke had removed herself and the couple's three-year-old son from their home on December 17 last year, after Child invited friends round with their American pitbull terrier type dog.

When she returned home, Miss Clarke locked herself in and was lying in bed when she heard noises above her.

She got up and was confronted by Child who had shinned up a drainpipe and removed roofing slates in order to gain entry via the loft.

The defendant, who had been drinking, then started attacking her with such severity that the sound of the struggle awoke the child, who found his mother covered in blood.

When police officers attended at the house and asked who had caused Miss Clarke's injuries, the distraught little boy told them: "Daddy did it."

Following his arrest Child was remanded in custody – some 133 days – until the York hearing when the court was told that the couple had now split.

Robert Mockrie, mitigating, said his client did present a significant risk, but only to partners, both past and future, and not members of the public in general.

Adding that Child knew he had problems, Mr Mockrie said that his client realised that he had to make changes in his life and that the centre of Scarborough was not good for him because it resulted in peer pressure being placed on him.

He said the defendant had not intended to cause serious injury and asked the court to consider suspending any custodial sentence.