A man who left his girlfriend permanently blind after gouging out her eyes during a horrific 12-hour attack could be released after being transferred to a Category D open prison.
Shane Jenkin, from Hayle, Cornwall, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2012 with a minimum term of six years for the prolonged attack.
Jenkin held his victim against her will for around 12 hours, strangled her until she was close to losing consciousness and repeatedly punched her, breaking her nose and jaw.
He then gouged her eyes with such force that she was left permanently blind.
Despite the severity of her injuries, Jenkin refused to call an ambulance.
The woman’s two sons, who were aged 13 and three at the time, were asleep in the same house while the attack took place.
Doctors later told the victim that Jenkin, who weighed around 18 stone at the time, had used such force that marks from his fingernails could be seen inside her eye sockets.
Six previous parole hearings
Fourteen years after the attack, Jenkin has remained in custody following six unsuccessful parole hearings.
He was transferred to an open prison at the beginning of March last year, representing a significant step in the progression of a life-sentence prisoner towards possible release.
Jenkin has now served substantially longer than the six-year minimum term the court imposed.
A minimum term does not mean a life-sentence prisoner is automatically released once it expires. Release can occur only if the Parole Board concludes that continued detention is no longer necessary to protect the public.
If released, Jenkins would remain subject to the conditions of his licence and could be recalled to prison.
