A drug addict and alcoholic who strangled his lover with her own hair has been jailed for two years.

Edward Luff attacked his victim on June 20 last year during a bust-up during their two-and-a-half year relationship.

Luff punched and kicked his victim and then sunk his teeth into her before dragging her from the bedroom by her hair, wrapping it around her throat and strangling her.

Maidstone Crown Court heard how it only ended when a neighbour of the victim alerted police after the thug had damaged his victim's teeth after punching her.

Luff, of Gunther Close, Hawkinge, changed his plea to guilty to assaulting his ex-lover shortly before he was due to face trial.

Prosecutor Ben Irwin said that Luff had taken cocaine and heroin before the two fell out and Luff began punching her.

After getting high on Class A drugs, the 47-year-old launched a "dreadful series of appalling and violent events" culminating in the attack on his terrified victim.

But defence barrister Tom Stern said Luff has now expressed remorse and has worked on his drug habit.

Recorder Cairns Nelson QC jailed him for two years telling him: "You punched and kicked her and she revealed that you liked to bite her.

"This was a sustained attack which had begun the previous night when you had got high on drugs.

"You then grabbed her hair and strangled her and then threatened her with a knife."

The judge added: "This was humiliating and painful and will take your victim many years to recover from."

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