A man who stabbed his partner repeatedly after she told him their relationship was over has been jailed.

Gordon Ayre, 54, has been sentenced to four years in prison for attacking Mariana Mreana with a knife after telling him she no longer wanted to be with him before he then stabbed himself.

The pair, who had been with each other for seven years, worked together at the Select Wallpaper store on Ainslie Street in Dundee.

Ms Mreana was wearing eight layers of clothing at the time of the assault in the shop on August 2 because she did not want to go home with Ayre to collect her belongings following the break-up.

After Ayre's attack, Ms Mreana was taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, where she was treated for stab wounds to her chest, abdomen and arm.

At the High Court in Edinburgh, the judge said the only suitable disposal available to the court was jail.

Passing sentence, Lord Woolman said: "You struck your partner at least seven times with the knife. That is a very serious crime.

"As a result of the attack, she sustained puncture wounds to her left breast, abdomen and left arm. She also suffered a laceration to her left middle finger. She has been left with permanent scars.

"It is fortunate that you do not appear on a more serious charge."

Ayre, a prisoner of HMP Perth with no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting Ms Mreana to her severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of her life.

He also pleaded guilty to a charge of breaching bail by sending text messages to Mariana on August 24.

Lord Woolman said Ayre would have been jailed for six years if he had not pleaded guilty to the crime.