A jealous thug who "mercilessly" beat a man with a metal tyre wrench after becoming convinced he had been intimate with his ex-girlfriend has been jailed for 14-and-a-half years.

Lewis Shaw, 28, had told a jury he had only wanted to teach Jamie Turner a lesson - but not kill him - when he launched the savage attack on an estate in Faversham.

Shaw, who was high on cocaine and drink at the time, jumped up and down on the head of Mr Turner, leaving him with life-changing injuries.

Now, the 27-year-old painter and decorator has been jailed for 14-and-a-half years and ordered to serve five years on licence upon his release.

He admitted being "violently jealous" after the break up of his relationship with teacher Charlotte Dunn and then "lost it" when he feared she had slept with married Mr Turner, despite there being no evidence of this happening.

Judge David Griffith-Jones QC told him that his account of the attack had been "quite chilling" and ruled he was a danger to the public.

Shaw had gone searching for his ex-partner in March this year and traced her to an address in Larksfield Road, Faversham, arriving at 4am.

The judge said Shaw, of Essella Road, Ashford, was intent on attacking the victim because he thought Mr Turner and Ms Dunn had become intimate.

Fuelled by drugs and booze, he armed himself with a tyre wrench but went to the wrong door - before eventually locating Mr Turner and Ms Dunn together.

Shaw, who had been with two other women that night, said Ms Dunn had told him she was intending to have sex with Mr Turner.

The judge said: "You found the correct door and kicked it open. You immediately set about Jamie Turner.

"Your account that he struck you over the head with a baseball bat was fanciful.

"I am satisfied Mr Turner never struck you with it. You pulled him onto the pavement before striking him with the wrench.

"The fight lasted but a moment before you landed a blow which put Mr Turner on the ground unconscious. What you then proceeded to do was merciless and horrific."

He said Shaw then jumped up and down on the head of his helpless victim - and only stopped when someone told him he was killing him.

He had told the jury during his trial how he had been looking to buy drugs on the North Preston Estate in Faversham when he saw Ms Dunn's vehicle.

"As soon as I saw it, I flew into a rage. I knew she would be with Jamie. I stopped the car in the road. I went to the boot and got a metal bar. I was going to break his legs, beat him up.

"Your account that he struck you over the head with a baseball bat was fanciful." - Judge Griffith-Jones

"It was then I saw Charlotte. She came out of the house in a short skirt and high heel boots.

"I took it out on Jamie. I was kicking and stamping. I kicked him in the ribs and kicked him in the head over five times. It was with quite a bit of force. I wanted to teach him a lesson about going with my ex.

"I feel devastated now. I would like to say sorry. I did tell him I was sorry on Facebook. I hope he is all right."

He added: "If I had wanted to kill him I would have killed him.

"But I didn't intend to kill him. Killing is something else."

After the attack, Shaw fled to Wales with Ms Dunn, who has since tragically died.

He was eventually arrested and was charged with attempted murder.

He denied the charge and was acquitted at a trial in September, but he had earlier admitted two counts of affray and causing Mr Turner grievous bodily harm with intent.

He was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court this week.

To read more of our in depth coverage of all of the major trials coming out of crown and magistrates' courts across the county, click here.

For information on how we can report on court proceedings, click here.

Read more: All the latest news from Faversham

Read more: All the latest news from Ashford