A Hitchin man has been jailed after attacking a Biggleswade woman in her home, leaving her with broken bones, cuts and severe bruising.

Steven Lewis – of Maylin Close in Hitchin – was sentenced to two years and nine months at Luton Crown Court on Friday.

It was alleged that Lewis assaulted a woman from Biggleswade at her home in the early hours of Monday, March 12, this year. Following a trial, the 30-year-old was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm without intent.

The violent attack left the victim with broken bones, cuts and bruising to her neck and face.

During the hearing, Judge Andrew Bright said: “This was a sustained attack and a clear attempt to strangle her.

“You have ruined her life in the short term, both physically and psychologically.”

Lewis received a further six-month prison sentence to run concurrently after admitting to breaching a previous restraining order.

A new indefinite restraining order was put in place.

Judge Bright decided to sentence Lewis on the same day, rather than to remand him for sentencing.

Speaking after the hearing, Detective Constable Adam Cave said: “We treat incidents of this nature extremely seriously.

“We will do everything in our power to bring offenders to justice.

“The judge’s decision to sentence Lewis immediately demonstrates that violence will never be tolerated.”

Anyone who has been affected by crime can seek free and confidential support in Bedfordshire via the Signpost to Support Hub, whether it has been reported to police or not.

The Signpost Hub offers support ranging from shelter and accommodation to drugs and alcohol and legal processes and victims’ rights.

Contact 0800 028 2887 or visit www.signpostforbedfordshire,com for further information.

If you have been a victim or have witnessed a crime, you should contact police on 999 in an emergency, or 101 if it is not.

Alternatively, you can contact Hertfordshire police via its online form herts.police.uk/Report, or Bedfordshire police at bedfordshire.police.uk/report.

You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, of through its anonymous online form on crimestoppers-uk.org.