A CIVIL engineer who smashed his on/off partner’s window ended up almost losing his arm, a court heard.

Darren Noone, 37, severed arteries, tendons and ligaments in his right arm.

He was rushed to hospital and had surgery.

Four months on, he still can't feel his fingers and medics have told him it may take up to two years for him to recover.

Noone, who has a drink problem, showed Burn-ley magistrates the ‘horrendous’ red scar, from his wrist to his elbow.

He is now off work sick following the incident in Haslingden on June 8.

The defendant had a record for violence against the victim Sarah Kershaw, had spent time behind bars and is subject to a restraining order, imposed after a conviction last December 29.

Three years ago, he was said to have tried to strangle Ms Kershaw while he was drunk and then attempted to throttle her while on bail.

Noone admitted breaching the restraining order and damage worth £100 at Walnut Avenue, Haslingden.

The defendant, of Station Road, Helmshore, was given a two-year community order with supervision, nine months alcohol treatment and the community domestic viol-ence programme.

Under the restraining order, the defendant is banned from going within 100 metres of the home of Ms Kershaw, mother of his young child, yet, the hearing was told they had reconciled.

He was said to have stayed over at her house the night before the offences and was supposed to be doing so again the evening he broke the window.

Noone's solicitor, Sue Robinson, said Ms Kershaw gave him a set of keys as he left for work, but he had dropped them in some concrete.

Arrangements were made for her to pick him up from work and take him back to her house, but they argued, she didn’t turn up and he tried to contact her.

Miss Robinson said the defendant wandered around, although it was a wet night, and hadn’t realised Ms Kershaw was in the house and ignoring his calls.

He put the window through with a screwdriver to try to get in as that was where he was supposed to be spending the night.

The solicitor continued: “He caused substantial damage to his arm, to the point where he almost lost it. It’s horrendous to look at.”