A man who stabbed his girlfriend in the head with a knife has been jailed after a judge told him those who attack women are “cowards and bullies.”

Leeds Crown Court heard an ambulance was called to an address in Shelley, Huddersfield around 5pm on August 18 last year where they found a young woman at her friend’s home.

She was bleeding from the head but initially refused to tell the paramedics what had happened to her, said Kate Bisset prosecuting.

They told her they could not treat her properly until they knew and she then disclosed she had been stabbed to the head by her boyfriend Luke Kenny at her home.

She said he had gone off in her car which was why she had gone to a neighbour’s home for help. She had three separate injuries, the most serious a one inch wound to her head which needed five stitches. She also had a small cut on her neck and one to her right earlobe.

Miss Bisset said the woman had not supported the prosecution or given details to the police about what had happened.

When Kenny was seen he claimed he was at work between 8am to 5pm then out with a friend but inquiries revealed he had left work at 4.30pm with his girlfriend.

Adam Birkby representing Kenny said the pair had been going through problems in their relationship at that time, partly over money.

He had lashed out on the occasion concerned but had apologised to her, she was visiting him in prison and they hoped to continue their relationship.

“He knows there can be no repeat of this kind of violent reaction to arguments whatever the stress and strains of the relationship.”

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Kenny, 29 of Waterloo Road, Waterloo, Huddersfield admitted unlawful wounding and was jailed for two years.

Judge Mairs told him: “It seems to me you are developing a worrying tendency to assault your partners.”

“In 2009 you were convicted of battery to your then partner and given a community order. The court sought to help you, providing access to a programme for those who commit acts of domestic violence. The failure of that is marked by November 2013 when you were sent to prison for two years three months for threats to kill and battery with a different partner.”

“Those who attack women are cowards and bullies. The law exists to protect partners, sometimes even from themselves and certainly to protect them from people like you.”