A 41-year-old man jailed for attempting to murder his pregnant partner after repeatedly stabbing her in the street had been forced to choose between his Muslim mother's faith and the "love of his life".

Company director Babur Raja had also admitted attempted child destruction, possession of a knife in public and the wounding and assault of two passers-by in Sutton Coldfield's town centre on March 4.

He was jailed for 18 years at Birmingham Crown Court.

In mitigation, Raja's own barrister said his conservative Muslim mother "literally drove him mad" in the run up to the attack by forcing him to choose between her love and that of his partner, Natalie Queiroz.

Jane Humphryes QC added that this family turmoil "tipped him over the edge" leading to a temporary mental illness or "adjustment disorder", leaving him with little memory of what he had done.

She said: "His mother had not been happy he was in a relationship with a white woman, and told him he must leave her or she would not be in contact."

Ms Humphryes added: "This man of impeccable character is driven literally to distraction, forced by his own mother to choose between her and his chosen partner and their unborn baby."

In Raja's sentencing hearing at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday, the judge had earlier heard how Ms Queiroz's breast implants "were probably what saved her life" during the frenzied assault.

Prosecuting barrister Benjamin Aina QC also told how had Raja plunged his knife just 2mm further into the abdomen of his helpless victim "it would have killed the (unborn) baby".

The court heard the child was born unharmed and was now doing well.

Sentencing Raja for his "merciless" assault on Ms Queiroz, Judge Simon Drew QC said: "Once you chose your mother over your partner and child, you resolved not only to terminate your relationship, but to terminate them."

He added: "This was a deliberate, pre-meditated attack designed to kill and destroy your partner and unborn child."

The judge also handed Raja an extension to his period on licence of four years.