A MARTIAL arts expert who put his partner in intensive care with a brutal attack was branded by a judge as a danger to women.

Dennis Ross, 28, from Swallow Way, Duffryn, Newport, was jailed for two years and eight months after a fierce attack on his then partner Gabrielle Richards, 27, also from Duffryn - and also given an extended licence period of two years and four months after he leaves jail where he will be monitored.

At Cardiff Crown Court, Judge Neil Bidder QC said he was adding the extended licence on top of the custodial sentence because he believed Ross posed "a serious risk to the public, in particular women".

The court heard how Ross, who admitted a charge of causing grievous bodily harm and has a previous conviction for battery against a former partner, had been in a relationship with Miss Richards for two months.

Prosecutor John Warren said the pair decided to go camping in Tredegar Park on August 14 this year, taking with them bags of heroin, valium and cannabis as well as three litres of Frosty Jacks cider which was consumed that night.

In the morning Ross couldn't find the cannabis and became irate. When Miss Richards went to leave, Ross slapped and her and told her she was going nowhere.

When she told him she didn't know where the cannabis had gone he punched her in the jaw with such force that her teeth receded into her gums, and gasses produced in breathing were forced into a cavity in her skull.

Ross used a martial arts style kick to her body and legs as Miss Richards tried to get up off the ground and ordered her into the tent, saying she had to the count of 30 to find the cannabis. The tent collapsed and Ross began to hit her again.

Miss Richards was frog-marched back into Duffryn by Ross, was almost hit by a lorry, before Ross dragged her across a road by her hair.

At her grandmother's house, with blood pouring from her mouth, he told her to say she was injured falling while drunk.

Ross took Miss Richards upstairs, began to strangle her in a bedroom, and she thought she was going to die, she told police. He dragged her into the bathroom and smashed her head down on the bath enamel.

Her grandmother called the police, so Ross forced Miss Richards into the shower to try and get rid of the blood.

When police arrived and led Ross away, the court heard he shouted: "Tell them you slipped in the shower. Babe, tell them that you slipped. I love you."

Miss Richards was taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital where she had to be moved to intensive care over night. She eventually had three metal plates put into a double fracture of her jaw and has numbness in her gums, possibly permanently.

The court heard the police officer who attended the scene said Miss Richards' injuries made her feel sick.

Owen Williams, for Ross, said he admitted he offence early, had never before committed such a serious offence and wants to detox in jail, learn a trade and take prison programmes to rehabilitate himself.