A WOMAN whose violent ex-partner could be released from prison a year after he tried to rape her has been given permission to try to get his sentence increased.

Mary Brewer's ex-partner Brian Gaff, 52, of St Peter's Road, South Ham, was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court to only two years in prison - which would usually be halved for good behaviour - for brutally assaulting and trying to rape her in her home on September 11 last year.

Mrs Brewer waived her right to anonymity after the trial in February to tell The Gazette she was disgusted at the short sentence, and said that Basingstoke police and her legal team would be applying to the Crown Prosecution Service to allow her to appeal against it.

This week, she was delighted to be granted permission to take the case to the Court of Appeal.

"I am very excited," said 43-year-old Mrs Brewer, who lives in Basingstoke. "Even if I lose the appeal, I have got the point across that the sentence was too lenient.

"When the trial finished, I wished I had never bothered, but now that this has happened, I think I might have done the right thing."

The Crown Prosecution Service has not indicated when the case will be, or how long the appeal will take, but Mrs Brewer will not be required to give any more evidence.

Sergeant Ben Snuggs, who was involved in the investigation, welcomed the decision - particularly since only a small percentage of cases are allowed to go to the Court of Appeal for sentences to potentially be increased.

"We're very pleased for Mary. At least we will have every possible crack at making the sentence reflect the seriousness of the crime," he said.