A JEALOUS man was sentenced to 16 years in prison today (May 23) for the attempted murder of his partner.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how Andrew Braithwaite, 51, threw petrol over his partner after becoming suspicious that she was having an affair, leaving her seriously burned.

Braithwaite pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of his partner Catherine Wilcock, following a fire at the couple's home in Johns Avenue, Haydock in February.

After initially denying he had started the fire, Braithwaite changed his plea once investigators found the fire had been started deliberately.

Judge Alan Conrad, QC, said: "When you were gripped by anger and jealousy you formed a plan to kill her and you set about in in a determined way."

The judge said that he attacked Catherine, his partner of 26 years and mother of their three children, "tried to suffocate her and set fire to her. This was a wicked assault."

He said that Braithwaite had used a naked flame to ignite inflammable liquid poured or thrown on her in more than one location in their home "to terrible effect".

The court heard that prior to the attack he had become jealous that she had formed a new relationship and had installed spyware which checked her mobile phone messages and found sexual messages.

Ms Wilcock suffered 33 per cent burns to her face, neck, top of chest, front and back of her arms and hands, both feet and left lower leg. At hospital she was kept ventilated for 19 days and at one stage it was feared she would not survive.

She had to undergo a tracheotomy and has had operations on her eyelids and needs to wear a face mask and compression stocking for up to two years to minimise scarring.

Ms Wilcock, who declined to comment after the hearing, was present in court wearing a plastic shield protecting her eyes.

Anya Horwood, prosecuting, said that at 1.45pm on February 11 a postal worker heard the smoke alarm going at the couple's home and alerted the emergency services.

She repeatedly banged on the door and could see smoke from an upstairs bedroom and heard a woman screaming for help but no one answered the door. The fire brigade arrived and, after smashing their way in, found the couple sat on the stairs. Both the front and back doors were locked.

Investigations showed that the blaze had been started using inflammable liquid and Braithwaite had removed fuses from the burglar and fire alarms, "indicating planning" but as it was a housing association property there was a back-up system, said Ms Horwood.

Charles Lander, defending, said that Braithwaite, who has no previous convictions, knew there was nothing he could say which would remove her hatred for him.

Discovering her infidelity had led him to wanting to kill her and himself but it was a spontaneous act that only arose that morning.

Braithwaite appeared via video link from prison.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Inspector Martin Earl of Merseyside Police, said: "This is a very sad case and a lot of people's lives have been affected by it.

"Three children have now been left without the support of their father and their mother; Braithwaite's partner of 26 years has been left with life changing injuries as a result of the fire.

"Braithwaite initially denied he was responsible, claiming that the fire started accidentally but we were able to determine that it was started deliberately."