A DRUNKEN man who struck his wife on the head with a stick so hard that her skull was visible through the deep cut it caused has been jailed for three years.

Martin Dudas flew into a violent rage after downing a litre of spirits and two cases of beer, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

Dudas, 28, attacked Maria Gulosova in front of three young children at the home they shared in East Avenue, Keighley, in the early hours of January 24, prosecutor Glenn Parsons said.

He came in "drunk and agitated" and woke Miss Gulosova by banging about in the kitchen and shouting for food and tobacco.

He went into the bedroom she was sharing with two of the children and hit her in the kidneys and on the leg with an implement.

Dudas, known locally as Carlos, then fetched a stick and struck Miss Gulosova very hard on the top of the head.

"She was dizzy and dazed and there was blood pouring from her head," Mr Parsons said.

She staggered out of the bedroom and Dudas tried to administer first aid by putting raw meat on to the wound.

Miss Gulosova knocked on a neighbour's door and an ambulance was called. The police were alerted and arrived shortly after 1am.

Miss Gulosova was taken to Airedale Hospital and at least ten stitches were inserted into the deep gash.

Dudas was arrested and held in custody.

Miss Gulosova told the police she fell and hurt herself but later said her husband hit her with a stick.

Dudas told interviewing officers: "I had too much to drink and I lost control."

He said he had downed half a litre of vodka, half a litre of other spirits and two cases of beer.

The court was told that Dudas, a Slovakian national of Roma descent, had been jailed for ten months in his homeland in 2005 for disorderly behaviour and assault. He had seen added to his record since with crimes of dishonesty but this was his first criminal offence in this country.

Dudas was charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent but his plea of guilty to unlawful wounding was accepted.

His barrister, Peter Hampton, mitigating, said Dudas was very remorseful and never intended to cause such a serious injury.

"He came here with his family hoping to find a better life and through his own fault, their lives have become much worse," Mr Hampton said.

Judge Mark Savill told Dudas: "It was a terrible act of violence on your partner in her own home."