A 51-year-old man who violently assaulted a woman and threatened to cut her hands and head off with a machete, has been jailed.

Dean Powell, of Ross Road, Longhope repeatedly physically assaulted the woman, including smashing a large glass into her head.

Gloucester Crown Court heard how in 2023 Powell threw a vacuum cleaner at her, which caused bruising to her head.

The court was told Powell took steps to make the woman fearful of seeking help from the police and reporting incidents to them.

While he was on bail for previous offences, he dragged a coffee table into the lounge of the remote farm where he was staying and brought in a machete.

Powell told the woman to put her hand on the table, and when she said no, Powell told her to put her head on the table.

The court heard that woman was terrified by the threats Powell made with the machete. He also repeatedly hit her head into the hard floor.

Powell's barrister explained that Powell’s excessive drinking underlies some of his offending, and that he is embarrassed about his past and wants a more positive future and added that Powell was struggling with the prison environment, and that he has been attacked twice while on remand.

In sentencing Powell to a prison term of four years for four counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and one count of breaching a non-molestation order, Judge Rupert Lowe KC told him: "You armed yourself with a machete and demanded that she put her hand on the table so you could chop her hand or fingers off, you then said you would chop off her head.

"This was not a joke, it was a series of ferocious threats to make her fear serious injury or death, which she did.

“You could kill somebody one day, and I feel you really do present a danger of doing that. You are an offender with an extensive history of serious violence to women in particular, and you pose a real danger of causing significant harm to any future partners in particular that you may have."

Additionally, the judge extended Powell’s sentence by imposing an additional three years to serve on licence in the community.

Powell was also given a 12-year restraining order which prohibits him from contacting the woman by any means.

Following the sentencing, investigating officer PC Ryan Foxall said: "The sentence passed to Powell marks the conclusion of a protracted, complex and crucial investigation into a horrific case of domestic abuse.

"I would like to commend the survivor for her remarkable courage, bravery and determination in providing evidence against Powell.

“He had blamed her for the injuries he was in fact responsible for, and thankfully the court saw beyond his account.

"The injuries Powell inflicted on the survivor, and his actions against her, are some of the most serious, disturbing and graphic I have seen within my career as a police officer.

"Powell was deceptive and protested his innocence throughout the investigation.

"This sentence also marks the beginning of a healing journey for the survivor, and I sincerely hope she finds the closure she deserves."