A DRUNKEN man who smashed a glass into his girlfriend’s face, scarring her for life, is today behind bars.

Paul Bartlett threw hot tea over Nicole Blythe, hurled her phone against a wall and then smashed a pint glass into her face, leaving her with a catalogue of injuries.

Bleeding heavily, she fled her home and tried to flag down motorists for help.

She was taken to hospital where doctors treated six cuts to her face, including her lip, eyebrow, nose, cheek, forehead and chin.

Southampton Crown Court heard how the pair had been drinking at a pub on the night of January 26 but they began to argue after they returned to Miss Blythe’s home in Boswell Close, Botley.

Tempers flared and Miss Blythe texted her sister who suggested she left and stayed with her. But when she told Bartlett he became angry and threw her phone, shattering its screen, before lashing out on her.

In a police interview Bartlett said that he had struck her to stop her from hitting him.

He said: “I just picked up the glass that was on the side and struck her around the head with it. I just picked it up and smashed it against her head.”

Miss Blythe ran into the bathroom where Bartlett followed and began crying and trying to wipe away the blood.

When he left the room Miss Blythe fled the house and tried to flag down motorists, eventually attracting the attention of people coming out of a pub.

Defence counsel Rhiannon Sadler said that Bartlett regretted his actions and had since taken part in a Control of Violence and Angry Impulsive Drinkers (COVAID) course to address his problems with drink.

Daily Echo: Southampton Crown Court

Southampton Crown Court

She said: “He can see that the aggression he was showing was triggered by the alcohol.”

Ms Sadler also spoke of how Bartlett had suffered from depression and said he had told her he was sorry.

Sentencing Bartlett, 27, unemployed, from Chilcombe Road, Southampton, Recorder Nicolas Gerasimidis said it was a “horrible” offence that had left Miss Blythe with permanent scars to her face as well as deep psychological scars.

He will serve half of his eight-year sentence behind bars. The sentence had been reduced after his early guilty plea to the charges of unlawfully and maliciously wounding his former girlfriend with intent to do her grievous bodily harm and criminal damage.

He was also banned from contacting Miss Blythe and ordered to pay a £120 victim |surcharge.

The court heart Bartlett had already received one conviction and one caution, each for battery.