A YOUNG dad who subjected the mother of his son to a terror attack which, she says, ruined her life, may walk from court a free man.

Burnley Crown Court heard how ex-soldier Kevin Catlow, 29, had "exploded" and beat his former partner Helen Robinson after she sent text messages to numbers she found on his mobile phone.

He then tried to kill himself and sprayed both Mrs Robinson, her German au pair and the whole house with blood before putting his head through a car windscreen, the court was told.

The court was told the defendant was suffering a depressive illness and a judge said if he was sent to jail he would not get help and might come out and do a similar again.

Recorder David Eccles said he wanted to look into the possibility of the defendant getting the psychiatric help he needed and taking part in a domestic violence programme.

He said he was "investigating a very lenient course," because he did not want anybody else to go through what Mrs Robinson had.

The judge, who explained his decision to the victim as she sat in the public gallery, described the case as "extraordinarily serious," and one which thoroughly deserved a long jail term.

He added he did not want the public to think Catlow would be "getting away with it" if he imposed a community sentence.

Catlow, of Sycamore Avenue, Burnley, had admitted unlawful wounding. He was bailed for sentence and warned by Recorder Eccles that he had still not made up his mind about the eventual outcome.

William Staunton, prosecuting, said the defendant and Mrs Robinson had had a four-year relationship and lived together at Goodshaw Avenue, Loveclough, with their son.

In January this year Catlow moved out after Mrs Robinson was late home from work and the defendant accused her of having an affair.