A MAN carried out a ‘savage’ baseball attack on his partner — because he was jealous of people she was chatting to on social networking site Facebook.

Sean Beaver, 23, has been jailed for four years and eight months for what a judge described as a ‘brutal, savage and sustained attack’.

Recorder Graham Knowles QC said it was miraculous that Nicola Westall had not suffered more serious injury during the assault in Moorgate Street, Mill Hill, Blackburn.

Beaver pleaded guilty to a charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

The incident happened in March this year while the two were living together.

Preston Crown Court heard that Ms Westall, 35 had ironically met the defendant online, before a relationship blossomed and he moved in with her in Mill Hill.

She liked to chat on Facebook, but he became jealous of her use of the internet.

On Friday March 13 both went on to computers. She was chatting to friends online. Beaver drank about half a litre of vodka.

Louise Whaites told the court: "During the evening the defendant got jealous of her chatting to her friends online and speaking to one man in particular.

“He asked her why she was talking to him.

"She tried to explain it was innocent chat and the man had been sending her photos of his own girlfriend."

Beaver became argumentative and she went to bed.

She went downstairs after a few minutes, thinking he had left, but was struck on the back of the head as she walked into the living room.

The blow stunned her and as she entered the kitchen to try and get away, she was hit twice more with the bat, to the back, shoulders and body and again to the back of the head.

Beaver tried to pull her down as she made her way up the stairs on hands and knees.

In the bedroom she was struck again with the bat to the head.

Bleeding heavily, she put her hands up to protect herself, but he carried on hitting her with the bat.

"She was in terrible pain and thought she was going to die," added Miss Whaites.

"She shouted at him to stop and that he was going to kill her.

"He stopped, looked at her and told her he loved her."

She had 60 to 70 sutres applied to five wounds.

Defence barrister Mark Stuart said Beaver had expressed remorse for what happened.

Mr Stuart said "Things had been building up. He snapped on being asked to go.

"He had stopped the attack, coming to his senses.”