A “WICKED” alcoholic who punched, bit and hit a woman over the head with a weapon has been jailed for 18 months.

Darren Rooke’s victim was left with multiple injuries to her face and body following the attack earlier this year.

Police were called to the incident at Rooke’s previous address in the early hours of May 16 last year after neighbours phoned 999 reporting a woman screaming.

York Crown Court heard Rooke, 42, was extremely drunk when he opened the door, completely naked.

Police found scattered bits of smashed furniture, a hammer and a metal pole on the floor and Rooke’s face was spattered with blood, the court heard.

Officers kicked open the door of a locked room with the door handle broken off and found the victim with her hand and face covered in blood.

Later medical examinations at York Hospital found she had suffered from numerous injuries including a swollen left hand, red marks and bruising to her left arm, significant bruising to her right arm, a large wound to the top of her forehead and hairline, cuts to her left cheek, swelling and bruising to her left thigh, bruising around her mouth and to the forehead, a possible cheek fracture, large bruising to her buttock, and a bite mark to her hand.

After he was arrested, Rooke, latterly of Station House, Crooked Lane, Hammerton, confessed to police that he was a struggling alcoholic.

He said there had been large blanks in his memory from the incident, but confessed to hitting his victim.

At a sentencing hearing at York Crown Court yesterday, Mark Partridge, defending, said Rooke had taken steps to battle his alcohol addiction.

Recorder Amanda Rippon replied: “He woefully failed.”

Rooke pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm at an earlier hearing.

Sentencing Rooke, who has two previous convictions for assaulting a police officer and a caution for battery, the judge said: “This is an extremely serious assault. The injuries were dreadful. I have seen the photos of her injuries – they are wicked. This woman’s face and head were seriously attacked. I accept there is remorse. You admitted your wrongdoing – having said that, what happened is perfectly plain.”