A man who attempted to kill his partner using scissors and a screwdriver has been jailed for 10 years.

The case unfolded in Xaghra, Gozo, in April 2014 when Xandru Mamo, now 46, attacked his partner Salvina Zammit, and struck her with the screwdriver, which was embedded in her head.

She survived thanks to urgent medical attention.

Mr Mamo pleaded guilty to attempted murder, causing serious injury and threatening his partner. He had initially pleaded not guilty.

READ: Man denies trying to kill his former partner with screwdriver 

The case happened in front of the couple's 10-year-old son. The man had reportedly been angry about limited access to him.   

The police had been alerted by the archpriest of Xagħra after he received a phone call from Ms Zammit begging him to save her life.

In handing down sentence the court said it had considered the drug problem suffered by the accused but said such violence could not be tolerated. 

“The court can never show mercy to those who feel they must use violence against their own family to achieve something they feel they have a right to; and that if they don’t obtain it civilly and legally this somehow justified them resorting to violence,” the court said.