The man who attacked a journalist with such force she needed recontructive facial surgery was today beginning a life sentence behind bars.

Lee Thomas Scott had earlier pleaded guilty to GBH with intent to the attack on Newcastle Journal sub-editor Christine Harle.

Judge Beatrice Bolton sentenced him to life in prison at Newcastle Crown Court, with a minimum of four years before he can be considered for parole, but warned him he could serve considerably longer than that.

She added: "It is quite clear to me that you are an extremely dangerous young man who presents a significant risk of serious harm to the public. You will not necessarily be released after four years."

She also paid tribute to Christine Harle, who thought she would die in the attack.

Scott pounced on his victim after she left her shift at the Journal office in the Groat Market at about 1.20am.

He had head-butted her and started to throttle her before stamping on her face and finally leaving her unconscious. He fled with her bag but the events had been captured on CCTV cameras.

Christine, (50), suffered extensive head and facial injuries with every bone in her face shattered and underwent surgery in Newcastle General Hospital.

Lee Thomas Scott, (24), originally from Gateshead but living in Ripley, had also admitted theft, sex assault on another woman and common assault of a third. All of the attacks took place on the night of January 10 and the early hours of January 11 in Newcastle.

The court was told at an earlier hearing how Scott already had a history of sexually motivated violence and had been jailed for six years previously.

And he had already staged a sex assault on a stranger the night he attacked Christine in Newcastle's Fenkle Street car park.