Blood-drenched Derbyshire thug with knife in either hand subjected women to terrifying five-hour ordeal

Alex Law’s eyes were “black and he looked evil as if he had taken something” when he kicked open their front door in the early hours of May 1, Stefan Fox, prosecuting, told Nottingham Crown Court.

He threatened to kill one of the women before punching her so hard in the face she was knocked to the ground, mocking her as she got to her feet and prodding her bleeding facial wound.

Law poured vodka over the second woman’s head and threatened to set her on fire before kicking her in her stomach when she tried to help her friend.

He punched the first woman to the floor and ripped off her pyjama top because he thought she was wearing a wire, then tore gold chains from her neck and pocketed one worth £500.

Law walked around the property smashing ornaments and threw one beer bottle which broke a window and another which narrowly missed the second woman.

His victims were cowering on the floor when one of them “saw a gap and ran for it” to raise the alarm.

Law threw the remaining women to the floor and she fell with her full weight on her wrist to suffer “horrendous pain.”

She locked herself in the bathroom and heard him “shouting and stomping” around the flat until police arrived.

Law appeared topless at the front door and slammed it shut when he saw the red dots of a Taser on his body.

He tried to barricade himself inside and got onto the roof before either jumping or falling off.

The court heard that hours earlier Law had also kicked another woman in the upper thigh so hard she dropped to her knees, grabbed her by the neck so she struggled to breathe, and hurled her around her home.

Nottingham Crown Court heard he has eight previous convictions for 22 offences and has been jailed four times for battery, criminal damage and serious assaults.

Lauren Manuel, mitigating, said Law had an “extremely difficult” upbringing, with heroin addicts for parents, but accepts full responsibility.

There are concerns he has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and elements of neuro-diversity, she said.

"He is ashamed and has shown insight into the impact on his victims,” she said. “When he is abstinent from cocaine and alcohol he can remain offence-free.”

He has been abusing drugs since age of eight but got sober for two-and-a-half years before relapsing, Ms Manuel added.

Law, aged 29, of Cotmanhay Road, Ilkeston, initially denied unlawful wounding, criminal damage, intentional strangulation, battery, and causing fear of violence, before admitting all offences.

On Thursday Judge Nigel Godsmark KC called his actions “hideous” and branded him as “dangerous” because of the “significant risk he poses to the public.”

Law was sentenced to four years in prison with a one year extension.