AN alcoholic who almost hacked off his girlfriend’s head with a bread knife will serve four years in prison.

James Richardson, 35, of Berridge Green, Edgware, stared at the ground as he was sentenced to six years in prison - to serve four - at the Old Bailey today after stabbing to death his girlfriend Natalia Czekaj, a Polish national in a frenzied attack.

Richardson and Miss Czekay, 34, were both believed to be functioning alcoholics who had been celebrating the New Year at the home they shared on Tuesday, January 6 when he stabbed her repeatedly in the neck, back and chest with a kitchen knife, leaving her almost decapitated.

Her injuries were consistent “with a sawing motion with a serrated bread knife”, the Old Bailey heard and a post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as shock, haemorrhage and multiple stab wounds.

At the sentencing hearing at the Old Bailey today, Judge John Bevan QC said the attack was: “A killing of extreme and sustained violence, involving 20 or more stab wounds including to the heart, through the back and a huge wound or wounds to the neck.

“A severely intoxicated man suffering from long term alcohol dependency syndrome to the level leaving two psychiatrists to conclude that his responsibility was substantially diminished.

“One only has to look at the horrendous injuries to see what the intention must have been.

“He genuinely remembers nothing of the brutal attack that he committed.

“It is clear from the reports that treatment is needed.

The court heard that three knives had been brought into the living room and that Miss Czekaj may have threatened to leave Richardson.

Richardson, a jobless plumber, pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder at court on April 27 on the grounds of diminished responsibility, as he suffered from alcoholism.

An analysis of Richardson’s blood showed 348mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood at the time - more than four times the drink driving limit.

At a hearing on September 3, the prosecution announced that they would accept the plea and not pursue a murder trial.

Speaking at that hearing, the judge said: "It seems to me this is not a case for a Medical Health Act order.

"It is a case for a determinate sentence and the only question is how long."

Miss Czekaj, a graduate from Technology College, had worked as a barmaid at The Alliance pub in West Hampstead which raised more than £8,000 to repatriate her body to her family in Poland.

Staff and friends, who described their colleagues as a “bubbly, friendly” character, say they launched their appeal after hearing that her distraught family were unable to afford the costs of returning Ms Czekaj’s body to Poland.

A statement on the pub’s Facebook page at the time read: “We are all in a state of shock.

“Natalia was a kind and caring person who will be greatly missed by us and we know by many of you.

“Her traumatised mother, who is already a widow is now faced with the burden of returning her beloved daughter to Poland.

“Let’s show Natalia’s family that we, as a community, sympathise with their tragic loss and stand beside them in their time of need.

“She was brave enough to try to make a life in our city and we should be generous enough to send her home with dignity.”

Ms Czekaj had lived at the address in Edgware with Richardson for around three years, after moving from her hometown of Opole in southern Poland – where her police officer father was killed when she was young - more than ten years ago.

The couple had a history of violence, with a witness saying he had often seen the defendant pushing Miss Czekaj, but she had never reported any of the incidents and told friends who had questioned her about marks on her body that she gave as good as she got.

Judge John Bevan QC added: “She never blamed him for any injuries she sustained.  I do not regard that history of violence as having any substantial bearing on the sentence.”

Ms Czekaj was the sixth person to be killed in London in the first week of 2015.

Richardson was sentenced to six years in prison, of which he will serve four years minus the nine months he has already spent in custody, and will remain on licence for five years after his release.