A junior footballer who tried to murder his ex-girlfriend by repeatedly stabbing her with a cheese knife has been jailed.

Richard Finnis knifed Helen Gallacher, 30, at her flat in Inverness in February after refusing to accept their break-up.

Ms Gallacher had just come out the shower when she spotted Finnis' shadow through the curtains of her patio door.

The 31-year-old repeatedly stabbed the mum with a two-pronged cheese knife.

A blood-soaked Ms Gallacher eventually managed to escape and frantically banged on neighbours' doors for help.

Finnis then fled before being found hiding in woods days later after a large-scale manhunt.

A judge heard how traumatised the victim has been left with life-changing injuries.

He pleaded guilty to the offence at the High Court in Glasgow last month and was sentenced to nine years and three months imprisonment on Monday.

Detective inspector Eddie Ross said: "This was a horrific domestic assault where Richard Finnis controlled, stalked and ultimately brutally attacked his former partner and mother of their child within the safety of her own home.

"She was left with serious, life-changing injuries and the impact of what happened to her that day cannot be underestimated.

"Hopefully this conviction and the judge's comments will provide a degree of closure, although clearly the effects of Finnis's actions can never fully be undone.

"Finnis will now have to face the consequences of his horrendous conduct."