SIXTEEN-stone Gary Barber subjected his missus to years of violent abuse. Now he has been jailed for attacking her when she didn't put the washing away.

The vicious thug repeatedly lashed out at wife Jennifer during their stormy 15-year marriage because "he was not happy with the standard of her housework".

He was sentenced to 12 months in prison at Oxford Crown Court.

Barber, 36, formerly of Colville Close, Bampton, admitted two charges of grievous bodily harm and two of actual bodily harm.

Nicholas Syfret, prosecuting, said Barber:

lSWUNG a handbag stuffed with coins at her in 1994, breaking her arm - which needed a metal plate;

lBROKE it again eight months later in another attack;

lBANGED her head against the bed headboard after criticising her housework on Valentine's Day this year - in the same argument he pulled her hair and punched her;

lATTACKED her two days later for not putting the washing away.

Mr Syfret said: "He started throwing washing around the kitchen and hit her about the head. She was being called all the names under the sun."

This was the last straw for Mrs Barber and the police were called. Barber immediately confessed, saying he felt "terrible and ashamed".

Mr Syfret added: "He told officers he attacked his wife because he was unhappy with the standard of her housework. "He didn't feel she was making the effort of which she was capable. He accepted he didn't help at all. His attitude was he worked very hard for long hours all day. His role was to earn money and it was her role to keep to the standards he expected."

Mrs Barber told police she needed psychological help and was suffering from depression. Her weight plummeted from nine stone to six.

Nigel Daly, defending, said Barber was a man of limited intelligence and could not understand why his wife wouldn't act how he wanted.

He said: "He often tried to show affection to her, only to have it rejected. We now know she was ill and receiving treatment for depression. He only wanted a proper family life with her."

Judge Anthony King told Barber his offences were "truly dreadful" and added: "It is no mitigation that the victim was your wife. The message must go out clearly that if you use violence on other people, only a sentence of imprisonment will be imposed.

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