A man who launched a savage attack on his estranged partner, before assaulting two police officers called to detain him has won a cut in his jail term.

London's Criminal Appeal Court noted Gareth Edwards had no previous convictions and had turned to heroin after a brother committed suicide, a drug use which spiraled downwards after a second brother also took his own life.

Edwards, 27, of Banbury Road, Woodstock, was jailed for four and a half years at Oxford Crown Court in February, after pleading guilty to damaging property, possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and assault occasioning actual bodily harm offences all relating to his partner, Kirsty Price.

In relation to the police officers, he also admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault.

Mr Justice Leveson, sitting with Mr Justice Penry-Davey, concluded the overall term was too long - and cut it to three years, nine months.

"It is quite clear there was a positive side to him, and it would be wrong to characterise him only by reference to his criminality," the judge noted.

After a five-year relationship, Miss Price and Edwards had separated in October 2005 and his subsequent conduct had led her to obtain an injunction against him.

On October 28, he went to her Kidlington home and damaged window locks and a bedroom door, after which he was arrested and bailed, with a condition he did not contact her. Because of her fear, she had a neighbour stay with her and police had issued her with a panic alarm.

On November 5, after Edwards said he had drunk a considerable amount of alcohol, he went to the house, smashing his way in and punching Ms Price about the head. He had a gas powered air pistol with him, which he aimed at her as she pulled a quilt over her head.

He was heard to say: "I am going to kill you", while their one-year-old son was screaming in his cot. When Miss Price managed to calm him down, he went downstairs to make a bottle for the infant, "returning upstairs as if nothing had happened".

When two officers arrived, there was a struggle during which a female officer fell down the stairs with Edwards landing on top of her before he attacked her.

The judge said Miss Price suffered bruises and cuts, and had to have a head injury stapled. In various statements, she said she was prepared to have Edwards back if he gave up alcohol and drugs.

A pre-sentence report referred to his turning to heroin two years previously after his brother committed suicide. Although he initially appeared to manage this, when a second brother also committed suicide his drug use spiraled out of control.