Tag Archives: assault

A judge has described a man who beat up his internet dates as a danger to all women.

Ryan Schofield, 26, had eight victims who he bullied and terrorised after meeting them online.

A judge heard that he had fits of ‘insane jealousy’ that left the women terrified for their safety.

In one incident he held a pillow over a woman’s face saying ‘Shh, I’ll do what I want’ as he penetrated her with a Lynx deodorant can.

Another woman was thrown to the floor, kicked and stamped, leaving her so traumatised she says she is ‘frightened to death’ whenever her son says ‘boo’ to her.

Schofield stormed out of the dock as the case against him was laid out at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester.

The case continued with details of a woman being threatened with a crowbar, headbutted and stripped of her clothing whilst another was punched in the stomach and grabbed until she almost fainted.

However, he returned to the court to hear that he would be jailed for five years and four months.

Judge John Potter told him: ‘When you are in a relationship with a women you exhibit violent and controlling behaviour over them.

‘This characteristic of you has been present for many, many years and has been well established in numerous previous relationships. It’s obvious that that your previous convictions significantly aggravate the offending I must sentence you for now – and that is because they are very similar.

‘Some of these latest offences illustrate once more that whilst in a violent and controlling relationship, you not only physically but sexually abused your victim. She makes it clear that she has suffered significantly as a consequence of this violent and sexually abusive behaviour towards her.

‘The other lady indicates she suffered significant physical harm and thereafter some level of psychological harm. I view you as presenting a danger to others with whom you share a relationship.’

The court heard that Schofield met up with one the latest victims in March 2015 after meeting her on Plenty of Fish and moved into her home, in Chesterfield, Derbyshire the following June.

But prosecutor Joe Boyd said he would become ‘insanely jealous’ and falsely accuse her of being unfaithful. Violence flared when the couple went for a drink and he became jealous again as they walked home from a pub.

Mr Boyd said: ‘They started arguing outside the house and when they got inside he pushed her onto the radiator, putting his face to hers and then head butted her to the left eye.

‘He dragged her into the bedroom and pushed her into a chest of drawers. She couldn’t move and an ambulance was called. They asked what happened and she said she had fallen and banged her head on a table.

‘They put her on a spinal board and took her to hospital. She discharged herself and the defendant said he couldn’t remember what had happened.’

Despite the row Schofield rekindled his romance with the woman but beat her up again in July – punching in the ribs during a row in which he repeatedly demanded to know whether she had been seeing other men.

She filed a complaint of assault against him the following August but met up with Schofield again in October at her mother’s house where they had sex.

Mr Boyd added: ‘There became a point where he ut a pillow over her face and she felt something was inserted inside her. She was trying to push his hand away and he said ‘shh I’ll do what I want’. She didn’t consent to the foreign body.’

The other victim, a mother of one, met Schofield over the internet in Christmas 2015 but she was assaulted on March 6 last year when she went to his house only for him to accuse her of seeing another man.

Mr Boyd added: ‘They had been texting and ringing each other and when she got there the defendant said they needed to talk and accused her of seeing someone else.

‘He jumped off the bed, dragged her by her coat and threw her to the wall. He accused her of joining a dating site and threw her on the bed. He then threw her to the floor and stamped on the middle of her back.

‘They made up the following morning but later the defendant came to her house and started to go on about ex-partners, he then threw her into kitchen units, hitting her on the ribs. As a result she attended Crumpsall hospital and had four cracked ribs and bruising to her arm.

In a statement the mother of one said: ‘I’m not in a good place at the moment. I was feeling very low last week and completely broke down, I’ve not been put on antidepressants. I feel I am turning into a recluse. As long as I’m at home with my son, I feel safe. I’m constantly looking over my shoulder. My son was jumping out at me and shouting ‘boo’ and this frightened me to death’.

Schofeld admitted sexual assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, common assault and criminal damage.

His counsel Andrew Long said in mitigation: ‘There is a degree of remorse in this case. He acknowledges his failings, his responsibility, the fact he’s a repeat offender, the fact that he can’t stop himself and the fact that he might do it again if he doesn’t get the help he needs’.

Metro

Ex-soldier jailed for battering Good Samaritan who tried to stop him throttling wife

By virginiagolden

December 22, 2016

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A former soldier has been jailed for five years for battering a Good Samaritan who was trying to stop him attacking his wife.

David Creswick was throttling his wife after a row in Sheffield city centre last Christmas, then knocked a passer-by unconscious after he tried to prevent the attack.

Father-of-four Creswick ran and hid behind a car from passing armed police officers – but returned to hit his victim in the face as the man lay motionless on the floor.

The victim suffered bleeding on the brain, a fractured skull and had to spend two weeks in hospital over Christmas last year due to the surgery he needed.

Sheffield Crown Court heard the victim lost his sense of smell because of his injuries and has been unable to work for a year, leaving him struggling to pay his bills.

In a statement read out to court, the man said: “I have no memory of the attack but was sickened to learn the attacker continued to hit me as I lay on the ground. Knowing I may never be able to smell again is depressing and has affected my quality of life.”

Creswick, aged 30, of Mason Lathe Road, Shiregreen, had been on a Christmas night out with family and friends.

He had already been involved in two altercations before the incident.

David Wain, prosecuting, said the victim and his partner had driven past Creswick and his wife on Broad Lane in Sheffield just before midnight on December 19 last year.

After seeing Creswick with his hands around the throat of his wife, they stopped in an attempt to intervene.

Mr Wain said: “The victim’s recollection is the defendant coming towards him and then waking up in an ambulance.”

After being arrested, Creswick demanded to know why his victim had not been arrested as well and when told the man was on the way to hospital said: “Good, I’m glad he is unconscious.”

Creswick initially claimed he had been attacked from behind and was acting in self-defence but CCTV showed he was the aggressor.

The court heard Creswick had a previous conviction from September 2015 for spitting at a police officer.

Francis Edusei, defending, said his client has written a letter of apology which ‘expresses his disgust at himself and his remorse at his behaviour’.

Mr Edusei said earlier in the evening Creswick had been in the Players Bar on West Street when somebody had pushed him, causing a drink to spill on him.

“There was a remonstration with this person who proceeded to hit the defendant,” he said.

Mr Edusei said Creswick was hit again by somebody else outside the club.

He said his client wanted to go home but his wife wanted to stay out, leading to the argument.

Mr Edusei said Creswick wrongly thought the man he attacked on Broad Lane was one of the two men from the bar.

He said Creswick was ‘a hard-working man’ who had previously been a soldier before being given a medical discharge from the forces.

Judge Michael Slater jailed Creswick for five years for the Section 18 assault.

He told him: “The victim has received life-changing injuries and is understandably depressed and feels vulnerable.

“That is something you and you alone have caused.”

Following the case, investigating officer Detective Constable Newman Holt said: “This was an unprovoked attack on a member of the public, who stepped in to help a woman who appeared to be in distress.

“As a result of Creswick’s angry and sustained assault, the victim suffered significant injuries that have had long-lasting effects.

“His senseless actions that evening have changed this victim’s life forever and no jail term is going to make up for that.”

Sheffield Star

Man’s random attacks after downing his raffle prize of eight pints of lager

By virginiagolden

December 20, 2016

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Jonny Karrasch targeted a three-year-old boy along with a couple

A man launched a random attack on a little boy and a couple out trick-or-treating with their young daughter.

Kirklees Magistrates heard how the bizarre incident in Lockwood happened after Jonny Karrasch downed his pub raffle prize of eight pints of lager.

His behaviour caused one terrified mother and daughter to flee and a pregnant woman and her partner to detain him after he went to a home and assaulted a three-year-old boy standing on the doorstep.

Prosecutor Vanessa Jones, prosecuting, said that on the evening of October 22 Shahbia Shahid and her mother were returning home in their car.

They stopped in Milner Street and as they got out of the vehicle Karrasch approached them. He shouted at the women: “Who do you think you are?

“It will take me two minutes to know who you are and where you live.”

Taking this as a threat, the frightened women ran away with Miss Shahid seeking shelter in a relative’s home nearby.

Karrasch, of New Street in Meltham, continued to shout and swear and grabbed hold of her wrist as she tried to get inside.

Mrs Jones said: “At one point there was a three-year-old little boy stood in the hallway and he grabbed hold of the boy by his shirt and tried to pull him out of the house.”

As the two women at the house tried to push door shut, the 24-year-old let go of the child and got his own leg trapped in the door.

They opened the door to release his leg and managed to close the door on him, resulting in Karrasch punching and kicking at the door and causing £300 of damage.

Police were called and after a few minutes he stopped and ran down the street towards a pregnant woman who was with her partner and eight-year-old girl.

Mrs Jones said: “Karrasch tried to hit the male and because of his demeanour they detained him on the floor until police arrived.

“The (female) witness said that they were walking along the street with their little girl going trick or treating and saw the male with his t-shirt ripped and he was shouting.

“He kept calling her ‘Chelsea’ and said: ‘You say you are with me or if not I’ll get locked up’.

“He peered towards the little girl and said: ‘Come here, beautiful’ and she was scared and started crying.”

As the couple detained Karrasch he used racist language, magistrates were told.

He pleaded guilty to two charges of assault, criminal damage, racially-aggravated threatening behaviour and possession of cannabis.

Victoria Sims, mitigating, described her client’s offences as “totally out of character.”

She explained: “He’d been in the pub, won the raffle and consumed his prize of eight pints of lager.

“Mr Karrasch doesn’t usually drink that much and that’s due to a cocktail of medication he takes.

“He simply doesn’t remember the offences but that doesn’t excuse his behaviour and he hasn’t touched alcohol since.”

Magistrates sentenced Karrasch to 10 weeks in prison, suspended for two years.

He must complete a community order with 10 days of rehabilitative activities and curfew for six weeks.

Karrasch also has to pay £50 compensation to each of his victims and £300 to help fix the damaged door.

Huddersfield Examiner

Woman backs partner’s bid to have nine-year jail term cut – despite being stabbed 14 times with a sword

By virginiagolden

November 23, 2016

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A thug whose girlfriend forgave him after he stabbed her repeatedly with a 12in sword has failed to persuade top judges to cut his sentence.

Paul Hutchinson, of Hereford Road, Hillview, Sunderland, left the woman with a fractured rib and 14 stab wounds in total to her chest, legs, arms and neck from the attack.
The 48-year-old was jailed for nine years at Newcastle Crown Court after being found guilty of wounding with intent in May.

His victim gave evidence in his trial and asked the judge not to lock him up.

She also wrote to the Court of Appeal, supporting his bid to have his sentence reduced.

Judge Jeremy Carey QC told the court she wrote she “doesn’t consider herself a victim” – and even suggested she was partly to blame for the incident.

But the judge said that, despite what his partner now says, at the time of the incident she was in fear and “vulnerable” – having been subjected to an hour-long ordeal.

He said judges are familiar with cases of domestic violence involving victims who wish to “forgive and start again”.

The court heard police arrived at the woman’s home during the early hours of November 30 last year and found her screaming, covered in blood and holding a tea-towel to her neck.

She told an officer in the back of an ambulance Hutchinson had attacked after drinking heavily.

She described being dragged by her hair, punched and kicked and then stabbed again and again.

Hutchinson had two earlier convictions for violence towards previous partners.

He was aggressive when arrested and told a female police officer he would “get her raped” if she didn’t let him out of the van.

The crown court heard he was hardworking and a supportive family man, who should have received a shorter jail term.

Dismissing his appeal, Judge Carey said the sentence was “not excessive” for the “sustained assault”.

Sitting with Lord Justice Treacy and Mr Justice Haddon-Cave, he added: “In our view, the judge was right not to regard the views of the victim as anything more than part of a narrative in this case.

“Trial counsel was able to say she did not come across as vulnerable at trial – indeed, quite the opposite.

“But the fact of the matter is that, whatever her demeanour at trial, on the night in question she was, in this court’s view, undoubtedly highly vulnerable.”

Sunderland Echo

Patient was abusive to Sunderland paramedics before spitting into police officer’s eye

By virginiagolden

November 17, 2016

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Peter Scotter. Credit: PA

A man who became abusive to Sunderland paramedics who were trying to help him spat into a police officer’s eye in facing a jail sentence.

Peter Scotter, 55, carried out the act at Sunderland Royal Hospital – where he had been taken for treatment after being arrested, Sunderland magistrates heard.

Prosecutor Lesley Burgess said the incident started when police were called by the ambulance service at 6.20pm, on October 26, to Hendon Road, where Scotter was behaving aggressively.

As officers boarded the ambulance, they saw him sitting in a chair with a minor head injury.

Ms Burgess said there was a strong small of alcohol on Scotter and he seemed extremely drunk.

She said he then launched in to a torrent of abuse and – despite repeatedly being told to calm down – he continued his tirade and was arrested and taken to Southwick police station.

Ms Burgess said: “Due to the head injury he was then transported to Sunderland Royal Hospital.

“He was taken to a treatment room and appeared to calm down.

“He requested removal of the handcuffs but, after the nurses had left the room, he lunged forward and spat a mouthful of spit into the officer’s face.

“Some of this gone into the officer’s left eye.”

Scotter, of Beach Street, Sunderland, pleaded guilty being drunk and disorderly and assaulting a police officer.

Anna Haq, defending, said: “This incident in the hospital with the police officer. Mr Scotter is fully aware that, no doubt, you will be looking towards a custodial sentence in relation to this incident.

“Mr Scotter is ashamed of his behaviour and has no recollection of it.”

She added: “He’d had seven pints of alcohol but that would not put him into this state.

“He does not understand how he received his head injury.”

The case was adjourned for reports to be prepared and Scotter was told by the bench that they did not rule out custody.

He will be sentenced at South Tyneside Magistrates’ court on December 6.

Sunderland Echo

Widnes man caged over sexual activity with teenage girl

By virginiagolden
November 10, 2016
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Ryan Johnson, 24, of Eversley, also sentenced for inflicting grievous bodily harm on a man

Ryan Johnson, 24, of Eversley in Widnes, has been sentenced to a total of three years and 10 months imprisonment for four counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of wounding/inflicting GBH

A WIDNES man had been caged for 30 months for sexual activity with a teenage girl and a handed a 16 month consecutive jail sentence for GBH.

Ryan Johnson, 24, of Eversley in Hough Green, appeared at Warrington Crown Court on Friday, November 4.

Judge Neil Flewitt sentenced Johnson to a total of three years and 10 months behind bars for four counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of inflicting grievous bodily harm (GBH) on a man.

The judge told the defendant he must serve half his sentence in custody before being released on licence.

Matthew Dunford, prosecuting, told the court that the sexual offences took place on Saturday, July 11, last year with the girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Mr Dunford told the court how the defendant committed offences on four occasions on that day and said that Johnson was arrested by police on Monday, July 13.

The prosecution said Johnson, who was 23 at the time, told officers during an interview that he thought the victim was 17.

However, Mr Dunford said that messages recovered from the victim’s phone between her and the defendant ‘makes it clear’ that Johnson knew the girl’s age.

A victim personal statement from the girl read out in court by Mr Dunford said that she had ‘suffered nightmares and regularly wakes up crying’.

The prosecution added that the GBH charge covered an assault in April this year outside a pub in Widnes in which Johnson punched a man who suffered a fractured jaw, later having to undergo an operation under general anaesthetic. A victim personal statement from the man read out by Mr Dunford said that he experienced ‘severe pain’.

Andrew Green, defending Johnson, who has previously been in prison for offences including threatening with a blade and assault with intent to rob, said his client has never had a ‘stable home’ and comes from a ‘broken’ family background.

He said client is also ashamed with the ‘label’ that is attached to him due to the offences he has committed.

Mr Green said: “Clearly Ryan Johnson understands that this has to be a prison sentence. The only question is how long that must be.”

Judge Flewitt, sentencing, said: “You have a number of previous convictions. It is right to observe you have no convictions for sexual offences but you have a number of convictions for offences of violence.”

The judge sentenced Johnson to 30 months in prison for the sexual offences with 16 months consecutively for the assault charge.

Liverpool Echo

Mum Shauna Sirrs spared jail for glass attack against Wawne Ferry pub landlord

By virginiagolden
November 6, 2016
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VIOLENT: Shauna Sirrs attacked pub landlord Craig Smith

An east Hull mother who attacked a pub landlord before posting a homophobic slur about him on Facebook has been spared jail because it would be “catastrophic” for her children.

Shauna Sirrs, 23, was brandishing a glass when she attacked Craig Smith in the Wawne Ferry pub, Bransholme, after she was asked to leave.

Appearing at Hull Magistrates’ Court last month for a trial, Sirrs admitted assault but was found not guilty of sending a communication which conveyed a threatening message, contrary to the Malicious Communications Act.

At Magistrates Court today, Sirrs was handed a 16-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

In her basis of plea, the court heard Sirrs admitted being reckless when brandishing the glass but that her intention was not to use it to hit Mr Smith who suffered a cut to his forehead but did not need hospital treatment.

In sentencing Sirrs, District Judge Fred Rutherford said: “You are the mother of two young children. Sending you away would be catastrophic for your family.

“I am sure you will not involve yourself in this type of behaviour again because you know it will mean prison.”

At last month’s hearing, Mr Smith said Sirrs and her friends were asked to leave because they were smoking in the pub and being disruptive, but Sirrs claimed it was to do with being given the wrong change after she and her group bought drinks.

She admitted injuring Mr Smith with the glass but insisted she only meant to thrown the contents of the glass at him but it slipped, leaving the victim on the floor covered in blood.

According to Mr Smith, she later uploaded the pictures of the injured Mr Smith to Facebook. Once charged with assault, Sirrs took to the social media site and called Mr Smith, who is gay, a “f*****”, the court heard.

Humberside Police were called immediately after the attack and Sirrs was later charged with assault by beating. When she received her summons to appear in court however, Sirrs took to Facebook.

In the post, she said: “Can’t believe [I] have just got this. What a f****** joke. What a grassing f***** c*** of a so-called man! He got glassed in the face, hardly a f****** beating, the lying little grass c***.

“If he wants a f****** beating, I’ll happily give him one.”

Speaking after the last month’s hearing, Mr Smith said: “We started arguing and then all of a sudden a glass came hurling my way and it smashed me in the face. I was probably no more than 30cm away from her and it hit me just under the eye.

“I fell to the ground and was bleeding everywhere. The worst bit is she found it really funny and just started taking loads of photos.”

Mr Smith also admitted the slur on his sexuality was distressing.

He said: “It was deeply upsetting. I’ve worked in the pub industry for more than 30 years and no one has ever taken issue with my sexuality. No one has ever given a damn about my personal life and they have no reason to. It just wasn’t nice.”

As well as the suspended prison sentence, Sirrs was also ordered to pay £200 compensation.

Hull Daily Mail

Britain First activist Mandy Smith from Canterbury admits assault during Margate anti-Ukip protests

By virginiagolden
September 19, 2016
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A Britain First activist arrested during clashes with anti-Ukip protestors has admitted assaulting a demonstrator.

Mandy Smith, from Canterbury, is said to have retaliated after a camera was reportedly pointed at her face at the party’s spring conference at Margate’s Winter Gardens.

The 50-year-old was part of a group of activists who gathered outside the venue after declaring on Facebook they were “defending Nigel Farage from the leftwing rabble”.

The incident happened after demonstrators – led by Thanet Stand up to Ukip – marched up the hill to protest at the conference on Saturday.

Britain First posted on its Facebook page that Mandy Smith had been arrested.

It added fellow activists had “invaded” the police station to “support her” and later posted: “A big well done to Mandy and the other south east activists who defended the Ukip meeting yesterday.

“Freedom of speech will prevail.”

Britain First leader Paul Golding also posted support for Smith, later saying she was wrongfully arrested after pushing a camera away from her face.

Smith was dealt with by a method called restorative practice, in which she gave the victim – who suffered no injuries – a verbal apology.

For the method to be used, offenders must admit the offence, but they are not left with a criminal conviction.

Police spokesman Lisa Humphrys said: “A 50-year-old woman from Canterbury, who was arrested in Margate on suspicion of assault has been dealt with by way of restorative practice in liaison with the victim.

“Apart from this one incident, there have not been any physical confrontations and the protest was generally conducted peacefully.

“As with all such events, the primary role of Kent Police is to work with the partners to facilitate peaceful protest while ensuring public safety.”

Kent Online

Man stubbed out cigarette on pregnant woman and then hit her across the head with a tablet

By virginiagolden
August 2, 2016
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A FATHER-to-be who attacked the mother of his unborn child has been jailed for 16 weeks.

Jack Powell stubbed out a cigarette on the shoulder of his former partner before hitting her across the head with an electronic tablet when he flew into a rage on Sunday night.

Swansea Magistrates’ Court heard today that the 22-year-old had appeared calm when he turned up at her home, and she felt confident to let him in despite the can of Fosters lager in in his hand.

He had wanted to discuss a recent argument with the woman, who had recently found out she was pregnant with his baby.

“All of a sudden his demeanour changed and he started to say horrible things like she had used him to have a baby,” explained Alex Scott, prosecuting.

“He extinguished a cigarette on her shoulder and she asked him to leave.

“He hit her across the head with an electronic tablet and she screamed, hoping to attract someone’s attention.”

During the attack he also damaged several parts of the home.

His former partner fled the house and called police.

Powell, of Bedford Street, Morriston, was arrested the following morning and answered ‘no comment’ to police questions.

Matt Henson, in mitigation, asked the magistrates to show leniency and give “due credit” to him for pleading guilty.

The court heard he had previous convictions for assaults.

“We find the offences are so serious that only a custodial sentence can be justified,” Magistrate Ross Evans said. “It was an attack in a domestic setting and it was a sustained attack.”

He was jailed for 16 weeks for common assault and criminal damage and four weeks for criminal damage, to be served at the same time.

Magistrates explained they had reduced the sentence after his guilty plea, but ordered him to pay a total of £500 in fines, compensation and court fees.

South Wales Evening News

Stockton pair left woman terrified

By virginiagolden
July 29, 2016
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TWO friends who terrified a woman in her home as they angrily went in search of her new lover were locked up today.

The victim’s former boyfriend, Mark Trippett, was jailed for two years, and her cousin, Gary Skerritt, received 12 months.

Both men admitted affray in the early hours of November 26 last year, and Trippett also pleaded guilty to common assault.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the pals forced their way into frightened Donna McKie’s home in Stockton at 1.30am.

They were said to have been looking for Miss McKie’s new partner, and shouted threats at her, prosecutor Oliver Thorne said.

Trippett, 28, followed the householder outside when she tried to leave, and grabbed her after pushing her against a wall.

Skerritt, 24, grabbed Miss McKie’s mobile telephone and smashed it when she tried to call the police, Mr Thorne told the court.

The court heard that Skerritt has previous convictions for dishonesty, drugs, motor vehicle offences and disorderly behaviour.

He was the subject of two separate conditional discharges for damaging property at the time of the offence against his cousin.

Nigel Soppitt, mitigating, said Skerritt was often used as “the referee” in disputes between his friend and Miss McKie.

“He became involved time after time after time in their feuds,” said Mr Soppitt. “He was asked to go along on this particular occasion to play referee.”

Paul Abrahams, for Trippett, said he now realises the fear he caused his ex, and is sorry, although she was never his intended target.

“He knows he behaved in a wholly inappropriate way towards her,” said Mr Abrahams. “He seems to have realised the distress it was causing, and left.”

The court heard that Trippett was in breach of a suspended prison sentence from July last year for burglary when he caused the affray.

Trippett and Skerritt, both of Campbell Court, Stockton, will have the time they have spent on remand since their arrest taken from their sentences.

Skerritt told Judge Brian Forster, QC, in a letter that he hopes to settle with his partner on Tyneside and get a cleaning job with his father.

Northern Echo

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