A man brutally attacked one woman for five hours and rubbed petrol in her eyes and left another almost unrecognisable after punching and kicking her.

Karl Mark Giddings, 50, of no fixed address, was arrested near Maida Hill after he assaulted one woman, whom he had known for two decades, in January this year.

During the five-hour attack, Giddings slammed the victim’s head against a wall and hit her body with such force that her ribs cracked. He also poured petrol over her and rubbed it in her eyes.

It came just four months after he had attacked another woman at a friend’s home in Kensington and Chelsea.

He had met the victim about a year before the attack, when both of them were homeless.

Police said that the 50-year-old had “preyed on her vulnerabilities”.

The victim was later found curled up on the floor of a car park the day after the attack by a homelessness charity worker.

Giddings had punched her multiple times and kicked her to the head while threatening to blind her, leaving her with two black eyes.

During his trial at Southwark Crown Court, jurors were told that when officers first visited the victim, she was unable to speak properly due to the cuts on her face.

Police said the woman was barely recognisable due to her injuries and had to receive medical care from an eye and facial specialist.

Giddings was eventually arrested in a communal area of a block of flats in Alfred Road on February 10.

Detective Constable Dax Borcha said: “Both victims have shown tremendous strength and courage throughout this investigation. Giddings is clearly an extremely dangerous man.

“I am pleased our investigation has resulted in him being jailed for a considerable amount of time and I hope today’s result shows just how committed we are to bringing predatory offenders to justice.”

Giddings ultimately pleaded guilty to two counts of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm with intent.

He was jailed for nine years with a further five years on licence on Friday (November 24).