A drunken builder splashed petrol from a can over his girlfriend, stripped her naked and tried to push gravel down her throat, a court heard.

Caernarfon crown court was told that 41-year-old Debbie Lovell Hughes had been dragged from a bed, punched and kicked to the head by Darren Jones, 31, of Arfryn, Bull Bay, Anglesey.

Prosecutor Sion ap Mihangel said she had been "gagging and in agony" when Jones then dragged her along chippings and pushed them in her mouth three times during the incident on October 1.

The mum, who had met him via Facebook, realised she was naked in a lane, grabbed two tops from her Ford Fiesta, which had smashed windows, and went to a neighbour's house.

The court heard she was dishevelled, distressed, barefoot, bloodied and with a black eye.

Judge Huw Rees said: "It’s difficult to imagine a more serious example of domestic violence."

He jailed Jones for 20 months and imposed a 10-year restraining order to keep him away from the victim.

Jones, who was described as having a history of cocaine use, pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm and criminal damage.

The prosecutor said Jones had been convinced that his partner was cheating on him. She was described as looking "a mess" after her ordeal.

Richard Edwards, defending, said: "It's very difficult to reconcile the difference between the quiet, polite young man and the man described to the court by the prosecution.

"He’s no particular explanation for his behaviour other than the effects of the alcohol. He has no previous convictions for offences of violence."

Mr Edwards said self-employed Jones was ashamed and apologised for his behaviour towards his girlfriend of five months.

Judge Rees said the victim had been dragged on to the broken glass-covered floor at his home and punched and kicked.

"You made matters worse by humiliating her even further by tearing off her clothing," the judge told the defendant.

Petrol was thrown over her in the bedroom from a can and, when his partner left the house, he'd grabbed her hair and on three occasions put gravel from the driveway into her mouth to choke her.

"She suffered bruising all over her body," said Judge Rees.