OFFENDER JAILED AFTER BRUTAL BRISTOL NECK ATTACK
A man received a three-year prison sentence after he attacked his girlfriend, slashing her neck during an argument, and then compelled her to hold the knife to make it appear as though she had inflicted the injury herself.Sean Perry, aged 34, and Rachel Wibberley, had a tumultuous relationship, which was exacerbated by their mutual struggles with alcohol, the court was told.
During an altercation at their shared flat, Perry assaulted Wibberley several times, resulting in serious injuries, before cutting her neck with a blade.
Wibberley reported the assault to police, but Perry initially denied responsibility, claiming she had self-inflicted the wound and that her fingerprints were on the knife.
Perry, residing in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, eventually changed his plea to guilty of causing grievous bodily harm.
Mr.
Marcus Pilgerstorfer, the court’s recorder, sentenced Perry to three years in prison and issued a restraining order prohibiting him from contacting Wibberley.
The prosecution, led by Ms.
Susan Cavender, stated that police found Wibberley at the flat with extremely severe bruising.
Although she initially claimed she fell over a sofa, she later admitted she was punched in the face.
Defence lawyer Mr.
Harry Ahuja acknowledged that both Perry and Wibberley struggled with alcohol addiction.
He described Wibberley as a vulnerable victim, assaulted in her own home, although he noted that her 1cm cut only caused superficial damage.
Detective Constable Stephen Milkins commented that the injuries were some of the worst seen in domestic violence cases, emphasizing the severity of the physical harm and expressing relief that more serious injuries were avoided.
He added that the court’s decision might help the victim begin to rebuild her life.
