A DRUNK man who cut off his ex-girlfriend's nose outside a Newport hotel has had his "lenient" jail term increased by top judges.

Dale Hathaway, of Burne Jones Close in Cardiff, used a steak knife to almost completely sever his former partner's nose after she asked him not to drive following a function at Newport's Hilton Hotel because he had drank too much alcohol.

The 27-year-old was jailed for six years at Cardiff Crown Court in October after he admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

His sentence was yesterday increased to eight years by judges sitting at London's Criminal Appeal Court, who said the original term was "unduly lenient".

The court heard Hathaway inflicted the injury on 33-year-old Maria Vella outside the Newport hotel in April after they had been drinking at an event in the afternoon.

The pair had argued about the victim's new partner and when Ms Vella told Hathaway he was unfit to drive, he picked up a steak knife.

Lady Justice Macur told the court he used it to "effectively sever her nose from her face".

Members of the public, including a young child, were present and saw what happened. When emergency services arrived the victim was lying on the floor outside the hotel, screaming in pain and covered in blood.

She had to have more than 200 stitches to reattach her nose and has been left permanently scarred.

Hathaway initially told police Ms Vella had fallen and hurt herself and then claimed he had "thrown" the knife behind him and it had cut her accidentally.

After a surgeon analysed the weapon and said "significant force"must have been used to inflict the injury with the knife, he admitted the offence.

Lawyers acting on behalf of the Solicitor General, Robert Buckland QC, argued the six-year term handed to Hathaway was"unduly lenient".

Increasing his sentence to eight years, Lady Justice Macur said the term was too short and did not reflect the aggravating factors in this case.

Sitting with Mr Justice Blake and Mr Justice Dove, she added: "Bearing in mind the use of a weapon, and the manner in which it was used and the description of the injury, we consider that the correct sentence was one of eight years."

Following the hearing, Mr Buckland said: "I referred this case to the Court of Appeal as unduly lenient mainly because Hathaway’s ex-girlfriend was seriously injured and has been left with permanent scarring after this horrific steak knife attack.

"This offence was committed in public and in the presence of a young child. This injury had a major and lifelong impact on the victim.

"Hathaway was drunk and used the steak knife deliberately with the intention of causing serious injury. I am pleased his sentence has been increased to eight years and I hope this sends out a warning, that using extreme violence leads to a long time in jail."