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Roxanna De Gravell, 42, laughed at her partner and told him he had it coming as he screamed in pain after the horrendous attack.

De Gravell, who had to speak in court through a Spanish interpreter, wept uncontrollably as she was jailed for four years for assault causing actual bodily harm.

It’s both a miracle and a mercy that he was not more severely injured. Boiling oil, in my judgement, is every bit as damaging a substance as acid

Recorder Michael Auty QC

Sentencing the abuser at Northampton Crown Court, Recorder Michael Auty QC said: “It’s both a miracle and a mercy that he was not more severely injured. Boiling oil, in my judgement, is every bit as damaging a substance as acid.

“What you did could have killed him or at the very least left him with life-altering injuries.

“And your reaction to what you did was to laugh at him and tell him that he asked for it. He did not ask you for it. He begged you not to do it.

“I have no alternative but to sentence you to a term of imprisonment.

“It gives me no pleasure to have to pass that sentence, but I have a public duty.”

The court heard De Gravell told her husband he couldn’t have the keys to go outside for a smoke until he had finished chopping food on December 30.

After preparing the food he asked for the key again, only for De Gravell to become angry and jab him in the face with it before hitting him.

The terrified victim ran to the bathroom to hide and pleaded with his partner not to hurt him further.

But when he emerged, she was waiting with a pan of hot oil and threatened to throw it at him. 

Some time later, she did hurl the hot oil at the man, who suffered burns to his hand, neck and ear.

Henry Gordon, prosecuting, said: “The hot oil made contact and scalded his hand, neck and ear.

“De Gravell responded by laughing at him and saying ‘you asked for it’.”

Her husband went outside and used a hosepipe to run water over himself. He was in so much pain he couldn’t sleep and needed painkillers.

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When he finally took himself to hospital the next day – New Year’s Eve – the man was treated for burns on the side of his face, neck, ear and hand and bruising and scratching beneath his eye.

He disclosed a history of domestic abuse to the nurse who treated him, and she went on to make a safeguarding referral.

Police later visited the home in Corby, Northamptonshire, and he told them what had happened, as well as telling officers how in July his wife had struck him on the head with a Prosecco bottle in a fury.

De Gravell was arrested but initially denied causing the injuries.

Mr Gordon said: “She admitted having an argument with him the previous evening but could not remember any assault with a key, nor with hot oil.

“She did not know how he had sustained his injuries.”

However the woman, who had previously been cautioned twice for assaulting a former partner, later admitted both assaults in court.

In a victim statement read out in court, her husband said he had found it hard to acknowledge what had happened to him, “making it harder for him to speak out each time, giving her one more chance”.

He said he had lost confidence and self-esteem and still felt a sense of love for his wife.

Mr Gordon said: “He says she needs to understand her actions and take responsibility for them.”

Liam Muir, defending, said De Gravell had previously been self-medicating with alcohol and had made an effort to deal with her issues before she went to custody.

He said: “This offence has been an eye-opener for her.

“She has finally realised her demons and is trying to deal with them.”

In addition to her spell in jail, De Gravell was also given a restraining order banning her from contacting her husband.

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