A 40-year-old man who subjected a woman to a sustained and violent attack in her Bradford home has been jailed for 15 months.

Bradford Crown Court heard that Kurdish national Masim Ahmed had been in a relationship with Abigail Whitlock, but during an incident at her home back in November 2005 he threw her against a wall and punched her in the face.

Prosecutor John Topham described how Ahmed dragged Miss Whitlock across the floor by her hair and started kicking her in the chest.

She retreated to her bedroom, but Ahmed continued to kick and punch her as he was curled up on the floor.

After Ahmed fell asleep in the flat Miss Whitlock was able to ring for an ambulance and he was arrested by police.

Miss Whitlock suffered breathing difficulties as a result of the assault and three days later she returned to hospital where she had to be treated for a collapsed lung.

The court heard that since his arrest in 2005 Ahmed, who had no previous convictions, had been granted bail on various occasions despite repeatedly failing to turn up at court.

He was at large for seven months earlier this year, but was eventually arrested again in October.

On that occasion he received a 28-day prison sentence for breaching his bail.

On the day of his trial last month he pleaded guilty to a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm which was accepted by the prosecution.

Although Miss Whitlock made a full recovery from her injuries the Honorary Recorder of Bradford, Judge Stephen Gullick, noted that she was still upset and traumatised by the incident.

"Fortunately the doctors have been able to treat her so that she has made a full recovery," said Judge Gullick. "This was a sustained, repeated attack involving kicking.

"As I've indicated I regard this as a nasty and serious offence of it type. While there are matters of personal mitigation in your case, which are reflected in the level of sentence, in my judgement a prison sentence is inevitable."