Matthew Lennon was jailed in the Adelaide District Court for striking a woman with a bottle

A man violently glassed his former partner’s sister – leaving her bloodied and fearful that she was going to die – because she had challenged his manhood.

An opal miner fuelled by alcohol viciously struck his former partner’s sister with a bottle after they got into a heated argument.

Matthew Scott Lennon, 47, was jailed in the Adelaide District Court on Monday after he left the woman fearful for her life during the brutal attack.

Matthew Lennon was jailed in the Adelaide District Court for causing harm with intent. Photo: Facebook

Lennon was drinking with a group on July 29 at Port Augusta West when he got into an argument with his former partner’s sister.

“You took a spirits bottle and struck her with that to the head and then struck her again with the bottle after it had broken,” Judge Rauf Soulio said during sentencing.

The court heard the victim suffered injuries including a large, deep laceration to the back of her head and lacerations to her skull, neck and shoulder.

“A lot of blood was spilled and she was understandably very frightened,” Judge Soulio said.

The court heard the victim’s injuries were not serious and she did not require surgery.

“Your behaviour on that night occurred in the circumstances that you were under the influence of alcohol,” Judge Soulio said.

“The argument arose because you were offended when (the victim) raised culturally offensive matters to you and by your understanding did so deliberately to provoke you.

“I’m told she was challenging your manhood … whatever (the victim) may have said to you did not or could ever justify your retaliation.”

The court heard the victim was fearful she was going to die during the attack.

Lennon, of Port Augusta, had previously pleaded guilty to causing harm with intent to cause harm.

The court heard Lennon, who is a father-of-four, was previously working as an opal miner in Coober Pedy.

Judge Soulio said Lennon had suffered significant grief during his life, including losing his brother to a fatal stabbing and his mother dying when she fell in a mine shaft.

“You’ve increased your alcohol use for what seems to have been an intent to forget the traumatic circumstances to which you’ve been subjected,” he said.

The court heard Lennon was remorseful for his actions.

Judge Soulio sentenced to two years and nine months, with a non-parole period of one year.

The sentence was backdated to July 29 when Lennon was taken into custody.

Judge Soulio said he hoped Lennon could quit alcohol and get back into the workforce once released on parole.