A GRANDFATHER carried out a 'brutal' and 'frenzied' attack on his fiancee after she told him she wanted to end their relationship at a prayer meeting, a court heard.

Nigel Bassett, 62, of Wotton-under-Edge, is in court this week on trial for the attempted murder of Shepperdine farmer Julie Grey, who had been due to marry him.

Former Thornbury resident Bassett, has pleaded not guilty to the charge but has pleaded guilty to the charge of wounding with intent to cause grevious bodily harm following the attack on his former lover in broad daylight in The Chipping car park in Wotton on November 8, 2010.

Prosecution barrister Robin Shellard told the jury in Bristol Crown Court during the opening of the trial yesterday that witnesses had described the attack as "methodical and robotic" and that Bassett had "kicked her head like a football".

The father-of-two also used a pair of scissors to stab Mrs Grey, a widow of seven years, all over her back and hands and stamped on her neck and kicked her in the face.

Giving evidence Mrs Grey, 61, said she had started dating Bassett in June 2010, a few months after he had lost his wife Pam to an illness. They both attended Thornbury Baptist Church and Bassett lived next door to Mrs Grey's mother.

Around March time she accepted a proposal for marriage and Bassett bought a bungalow in Parklands, Wotton, for them. However Mrs Grey said she gradually found Bassett increasingly jealous and recounted two occasions when he had got angry with her about being affectionate towards other men, who were family friends.

Mrs Grey, a grandmother, decided that she needed to slow the relationship down.

"I knew I could not live with someone like that," she told the court.

On the day of the attack the couple had a meeting with Wotton baptist minister Tom Wharin, who had met the engaged couple on several occasions to discuss their relationship issues.

Mrs Grey told Bassett she did not want to continue with the relationship. After a final prayer they left the church together. It was whilst standing at his car the frenzied attack took place.

She recalled being punched twice in the face. Mr Shellard QC asked what expression Bassett had on his face.

"Cold, blank, no expression," said Mrs Grey. More jabs to the body followed and Mrs Grey said she eventually fell to the floor with exhaustion.

"I felt he was trying to kill me," she told the court. "I remember saying to myself 'God help me, someone help me or he is going to kill me.'"

Bassett wept loudly as his former wife-to-be gave her evidence.

Barrister Jason Culter, defending Bassett, suggested that it was not so much jealousy but that Mrs Grey was a very different personality to Bassett's late wife who did not have other male friends and this took "readjustment" in a relationship.

"He found it difficult to share me," said Mrs Grey.

Mr Wharin also gave evidence and said he did not think Mrs Grey was in "any danger" when they both left the church, just minutes before the attack took place.

The trial continues.