An abuser who punched and kicked his partner in the head before claiming she had fallen has been jailed for eight years.

Nathan Giltinane, 34, beat the victim so severely she said she felt dizzy as she called NHS 111 on November 13 last year.

She asked for medical help for a black eye and a “bust lip”, but a man could be heard in the background controlling the conversation, telling her to say she had fallen over.

Police were contacted at just before 11pm and officers visited the house in Cambridge where they found Giltinane and the woman, who had chipped front teeth and could barely move her arm.

Giltinane was arrested and the woman was taken to hospital where further checks revealed she had a broken arm, hair missing and a lump on her head warranting a CT scan.

On the way to hospital, she confided in officers that it was Giltinane who had attacked her. She told them he had kicked her in the head, chipping her teeth, and she had lost consciousness.

In police interview, Giltinane claimed he “backhanded” his partner, which made her fall over onto her arm, but said he did it in retaliation after she hit him first.

Giltinane, of Walnut Tree Avenue, Cambridge, was later charged with assault occasioning grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, coercive behaviour and criminal damage.

He denied the charges, but pleaded guilty to GBH with intent on the day his trial was due to begin at Peterborough Crown Court in May. The other two charges were ordered to lie on file.

He was jailed at Cambridge Crown Court on Friday (November 1) and given a 10-year restraining order preventing him from contacting his victim in any way.

Sentencing, Recorder James Willan KC told him there was “no excuse” for the attack on his partner, whose arm he broke while she tried to defend herself as he punched and kicked her while she was on the floor.

He said alongside her broken arm, there was bruising to the woman’s forehead, eye socket, shoulders, the back of her hand and she also had fractured teeth. There had been at least eight points of contact where she had been hit.

Recorder Willan noted Giltinane had previously been jailed for domestic violence offences, and that his victim was attacked while alone in her own home with no phone. He said he had “betrayed her trust” in her house, which “should be a place of safety”.

He concluded that Giltinane posed a “significant risk of harm to future female intimate partners” as he was “willing to use significant violence”.

DC Frankie Enticknap, who investigated, said: “Giltinane savagely attacked his partner, and then encouraged her to lie about how she had been injured.

“I would like to thank the NHS 111 call taker who realised something wasn’t quite right – it’s precisely suspicions like these that can make all the difference.

“Giltinane’s behaviour left his partner incredibly frightened, and no-one should ever be made to feel that way. Domestic abuse is never acceptable and there is no excuse.

“I hope he now reflects on what he did, and his victim can feel some measure of comfort and closure. I would like to thank her for her bravery and for supporting us in getting the result she deserves, together with her mum who has been a huge support to her throughout.

“Tackling domestic abuse is a force priority and we will continue to work tirelessly to keep victims safe."

Anyone who is a victim of domestic abuse is urged to contact police or call the national domestic violence helpline on 0808 2000 247.