A man who shot his Enfield lover while out of prison on licence in March has been jailed for seven years.

Habitual offender Paul Hutley, 35, of no fixed abode, admitted causing grievous bodily harm and associated firearms charges when he appeared at Wood Green Crown Court on August 4.

The circumstances surrounding the shooting of the 33-year-old mother-of-four, who lived in Fotheringham Road, were not revealed in court as both the defendant and his lover were reluctant to co-operate with police.

However, initial investigations suggested the shooting on March 2 was an accident.

Investigating Det Sgt Nick Bonomini said: "Being quite honest, we will never know exactly what happened neither Hutley nor the victim have given any indication of what went on, but something happened to cause the gun to go off.

"Hutley is very remorseful about what happened."

Hutley was quickly revealed as the prime suspect but managed to evade the police for two-and-a-half months until his arrest, in an unrelated drugs raid by Surrey police in Epsom, on May 20. He admitted all the charges against him.

DCI Raffaele D'Orsi, who assisted in leading the investigation, said: "The shooting of this woman was, on the face of it, a significantly heinous act, but the tenacious and expeditious investigations by Operation Trafalgar established that the offender, Hutley, was in a relationship with the victim and the discharge of the firearm was not premeditated."

He added: "This sentence sends a clear message to those individuals predisposed to the carriage or use of firearms, you will spend a significant period of your life in prison when you are caught."