The former partner of a man who attacked her at their home in Cork has told his sentence hearing that she was convinced he was going to kill her.

63-year-old Patrick O'Rourke - of Cooline Drive, Ballyvoloon in Cobh - pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Donna Foster on the morning of August 11th last year.

The court heard he grabbed a knife and carried out a "vicious and frenzied" attack after she told him she was in love with someone else.

Ms Foster was joined in the witness box by one of her daughters, as Mr O'Rourke sobbed uncontrollably in the dock behind them.

She described the attack as "frenzied" and unprovoked and said she was convinced she was going to die.

She said she still suffers both physically and psychologically and has not been able to return to work since.

She said she lost her business as a make up artist because of what happened and hopes she will be able to move on one day - and make some happy memories with her family.

Mr O'Rourke will be sentenced next week.