Sharif Rasul, 45, whacked mother-of-three Jodie Thomas on the head numerous times using the vacuum cleaner
A possessive ex-boyfriend who threatened to kill his former lover and attacked her with a Henry the Hoover after suspecting she was cheating on him has been jailed.
Sharif Rasul, 45, used a hoover to smash mother-of-three Jodie Thomas’ head during the brutal assault at their former home in Aberfan, Wales.
Rasul, of Merthyr Tydfil in Wales, admitted actual bodily harm, making a threat to kill and breaching a restraining order.
The 45-year-old – who has 19 previous convictions relating to 40 offences – was jailed for 20 months.
Ms Thomas said after the case: ‘I’ve locked Henry the Hoover away in a cupboard ever since – I can’t bear to look at him.
‘I know hoovers are not your typical weapon but in a domestic violence situation a woman can be attacked by whatever is at hand.’
The former couple were living apart when he let himself into their former home in the middle of the night around three weeks ago.
Ms Thomas managed to flee to a neighbour’s house but re-entered the property later hoping that Rasul had left.
Jodie Thomas, 27, (pictured) was hit numerous times on the head during the brutal assault
Prosecutor Oliver Harris said: ‘He was asleep but woke when she stood on a creaky floorboard.
‘Rasul picked up her Henry the Hoover which he used as a weapon.
‘There was significant physical violence.’
Nicholas Gedge, defending, told Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court: ‘Henry the Hoover is not a conventional weapon so it wasn’t a serious threat to kill.
‘He is thoroughly ashamed and believes his drink had been spiked that night.’
Judge Philip Harris-Jenkins told father-of-five Rasul: ‘In an act of jealousy you picked up the hoover and used it to hit your former partner over the head.
The couple had split up and Rasul had sneaked back into the home they had once shared
The court heard how Rasul had previously been violent to his girlfriend
‘She thought she was going to die at your hands such was the brutality of the attack on her.
‘It was a sustained incident of violence which was unprovoked.’
Jodie met Sharif in a pub five years ago and blames his ‘jealous streak’ for outbursts of violence.
She said: ‘It wasn’t the first time he had been violent but I never imagined he would attack me with Henry the Hoover.
‘I’m glad Sharif been locked up and I’ve got my freedom again.’
More than seven million Henry the Hoovers have been sold worldwide since it was launched in 1981
Rasul was jailed for 20 months for his brutal attack on Ms Thomas