A court in Turkey has sentenced a brute who chopped off his ex-wife’s fingers with an axe to 18 years behind bars.

The court in Aydin sentenced Ismail Demirci, 35, on 15th November after finding him guilty of attempted murder.

Mother-of-two Ilke Kuleli, 29, had divorced Demirci – her husband of nine years – at Aydin 1st Family Court on 27th January following a year-long lawsuit.

She had filed for divorce due to ‘severe conflict’, local media reported.

The court awarded Ilke – who lives in Incirliova – custody of the couple’s children, aged nine and 10.

Demirci – a minibus driver – had been dismissed three times during proceedings for constantly harassing his then-wife.

Before the attack, Demirci had sent a series of threatening messages to Ilke.

Four days after their divorce, he headed to the market where Ilke worked as a cashier armed with an axe.

As customers fled in terror, he swung the axe at her head.

Ilke raised her hands to protect herself and one finger from her right hand was hacked off, along with four from her left.

People nearby rescued her and rushed her away from the market. An ambulance then took her to Adnan Menderes University Training and Research Hospital.

There, surgeons reattached the four fingers from Ilke’s left hand in a gruelling, six-hour operation.

They were unable to reattach the little finger from her right hand.

Aydin Public Prosecutor’s Office later charged Demirci with attempted murder.

During the final hearing of the trial, Demirci told the court he regretted his actions, while Ilke said: “I want him to receive the heaviest punishment”.

The court did not apply any reduction to his sentence.

It is not clear if he may appeal the decision.