A MAN was jailed for attempted murder after he brutally attacked his pregnant fiancé, leaving her in a “persistent vegetative state”.

Petar Petrov, 31, of Densworth Grove, Edmonton Green, was sentenced to 21 years in prison for the attempted murder of the 30-year-old mother of his unborn child at the Old Bailey on Friday (February 10).

The Bulgarian national carried out the “violent and horrific” attack on August 5 last year.

At around 8pm neighbours started to hear shouting, arguing, and a loud bang coming from Petrov’s home.

When a man found him unresponsive on the floor, surrounded by glass, and with stab wounds, he carried out first aid and called the police.

When other neighbours came to help, the man who originally found Petrov went into his flat where he found Petrov’s fiance lying on the floor with head and neck injuries.

When he realised she was heavily pregnant he immediately started carrying out first aid.

The 30-year-old mother-to-be was rushed to hospital with multiple face fractures, severe lung bruising, and a stab wound to the face.

She was treated in an intensive care unit where she is still in a critical condition.

Doctors were forced to carry out an emergency caesarean on her. Although the baby was born prematurely on August 9, it did not appear to have been injured in the attack.

Petrov was also taken to hospital with injuries that implied he had fallen from a height and stabbed himself.

As soon as he was discharged he was taken to a police station and charged with attempted murder.

He pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey on January 11.

The neighbour who found the couple and helped save their lives was given a £500 Sheriff’s reward for his bravery.

DI Christopher Skelt of Enfield’s police community safety unit said: "This has been a truly shocking case. It is incomprehensible to think that a father-to-be could carry out such a violent and horrific attack on his partner when she was eight months pregnant with their baby.

"I am very pleased the judge commended the bravery of Mr Kerry Keogh who found and helped the victim at the scene following her ordeal.

“I personally would like to also commend all the members of the public who were first at this distressing scene, and who performed first aid on the injured parties and called the emergency services.

“Their quick actions were crucial in getting the victim the medical attention she needed, saving the mother and unborn child's lives.

"Sadly the mother remains in a persistent vegetative state with virtually no chance of recovery.

“Thankfully her child was born without any physical injuries via caesarean section however; unfortunately, this child is likely to never know his parents.

“Cases like this lead me to re-iterate to anyone who is either in or knows a person in a relationship suffering abuse, to report it to police."

Petrov was also given a European Protection Order, which means he can never enter his victim's EU country of residence.