A 'VENGEFUL' company director who subjected his former partner to a 'horrific' attack in her home has been jailed for nine years and seven months.

Ian Gresham, who punched, gagged and choked his victim, must also serve a further two years and five months on licence upon his release from prison after Judge Heather Lloyd branded him a dangerous offender.

Detectives praised victim Shirley Jackson for her bravery and they hoped the sentence would help others to come forward.

DS Charlie Haynes said: “This was a horrific attack which has left the victim with serious injuries and psychological harm.

“The courage and bravery she has shown throughout the judicial process is to be commended.

“I now hope that Gresham’s lengthy prison sentence serves to remind people how seriously domestic violence is taken by police, the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts.”

Preston Crown Court heard how Gresham bombarded Ms Jackson with 50 emails threatening her and saying how he would take his own life because she had ended their three-year relationship.

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Gresham, 55, of no fixed address but formerly of Blackburn, was issued a verbal harassment warning by police for his behaviour.

But the prosecution said he failed to take notice and his offending escalated when Ms Jackson returned from a holiday in Turkey.

At around 8.45pm on October 17, Gresham went to his victim’s home in Blackburn, and knocked on the back door.

Prosecutor Paul Brookwell said when Ms Jackson answered the door he forced his way in and punched her in the face, causing her to fall into the fridge and collapse into a dog basket.

Gresham then put duct tape over Ms Jackson’s mouth and used it to tie her hands behind her back, turned the downstairs lights off, before instructing her to go upstairs to the bedroom.

Mr Brookwell said while the victim laid on the bed Gresham complained about her decision to end the relationship and said ‘his life was over’.

He then pulled a hammer from a rucksack he had brought with him, banged holes in the ceiling and fed a rope through to create a noose.

The court heard he went downstairs to the dining room to grab a chair and placed it under the rope.

Mr Brookwell said: “She was asking him to get help. He was effectively saying he going to hang himself in that room so she would not be able to use that particular room again.”

The court heard that at that point Ms Jackson, 60, began to lose consciousness and the next thing she remembered was Gresham tending to her with a wet cloth.

The court heard how Gresham then got on the chair and Ms Jackson had to plead with him not to take his his own life and to instead call his daughter.

The court heard the victim, who moved to Blackburn to be closer to her grandchildren, suffered multiple injuries including a fractured nose, cuts and bruising to her face, a chipped tooth, and bruising to her tongue which doctors said was consistent with being asphyxiated.

Following the assault Gresham told police he had been attacked by the victim and pushed her away in self-defence.

He was charged with attempted murder but pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of wounding with intent.

Judge Lloyd also imposed an indefinite restraining order banning Gresham from contacting Ms Jackson.