A WOMAN jumped out of a first floor hotel window, fearing she would die after being held captive and tortured by her former partner.

Fay Pester went to see Francis Grybowicz, who she met when he was living rough in Bewdley, while he was on the run over an earlier attack on her.

At Warwick Crown Court, Grybowicz was given an indeterminate prison sentence for the public protection. The judge ordered he serve at least four and a half years before being considered for parole.

Grybowicz, 47, of no fixed address, admitted assaulting Mrs Pester, inflicting grievous bodily harm on her with intent, two charges of falsely imprisoning her, two of making threats to kill and one of causing damage.

Simon Ward, prosecuting, said Mrs Pester, 68, met Grybowicz in October last year while he lived in woods near her Bewdley holiday bungalow. They had a stormy relationship and both drank, during which Grybowicz, who was convicted in May, 1999 for four offences of beating his wife, became violent.

In December they went out eating and drinking in Stratford before getting take-away food and going back to Mrs Pester's home, where he became abusive, shoving food into her face.

He shouted he would kill her, headbutted and punched her in the face, then got a knife, telling her: "This is the knife that's going to kill your son and then you."

Her son came home, found her with bruising to her face and wrists and a swollen nose and cheek and called police. When Grybowicz was arrested, he claimed she had fallen when drunk and pleaded not guilty in court.

He was granted bail in March but failed to comply with conditions and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Mrs Pester maintained contact with him, believing he could be helped. In July, they met at a hotel in Upton-on-Severn. He got drunk, passing out on the bathroom floor.

"When he came to he spent the rest of the night assaulting her and torturing her in a most cruel way and accusing her of having an affair," said Mr Ward. In desperation, she jumped from the window, landing partly on a car, bouncing off it and landing on the ground.

Mrs Pester had a fractured collarbone, fractured rib and bruising all over her head and body.

Andrew Wallace, defending, said a psychiatric report showed Grybowicz did not have mental illness.

He added Mrs Pester has been writing to Grybowicz while he had been on remand in custody, expressing "very powerful feelings" towards him, and she still had positive things to say about him.

Jailing Grybowicz, Judge Richard Bray told him: "I sentence you for the most appalling offences of violence upon a female victim aged 68."