lik an ax to the face

News & Star: “Attacked woman looked like ‘zombie hit in face with axe’ – court” by Phil Coleman:

A Cumbrian pensioner whose wife suffered appalling injuries after he attacked her at a family gathering has walked free from a court.

and

Stuart Pattinson, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS in Cumbria, said: “I would wish to pay tribute to Mrs Huddart for showing great courage in the face of difficult circumstances in having to give evidence against a member of her own family.
“The Crown Prosecution Service and the police are wholly committed to tackling domestic violence in Cumbria and I would like to encourage anyone who has experienced such violence to come forward and not suffer in silence.”

Who’s the zombie now?