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A Dumfries man has been sentenced to life in prison in a “gruesome” 2021 attack that left his victim permanently blind.

Prince William County Circuit Court Judge James Willett handed down the sentence on Thursday. In April, a jury found Cody Dale Davis guilty of aggravated malicious wounding after a three-day trial.

The attack happened on Feb. 2, 2021 while the victim and three children were asleep in their home.

Police found the woman in pool of blood suffering from severe facial lacerations and blunt force trauma to her eyes, the Prince William County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office said in a news release.

Davis was also found at the home.

“Investigation revealed that the defendant attacked the victim while she was defenseless and unsuspecting,” the release said. “The defendant beat the victim and gouged her eyes causing permanent blindness. Medical experts testified about the devastating injuries suffered by the victim including facial fractures, a nasal fracture, and fracture to her orbital socket.”

“Justice was served in this case. The Defendant’s sentence is appropriate given the gruesome and shockingly violent nature of the attack,” Commonwealth’s Attorney Amy Ashworth said in a statement. “Assaults like this cannot and will not be tolerated in our community.”