MAN SMASHED EX-GIRLFRIEND'S HEAD AGAINST WALL AND STRANGLED HER
A man known for heavy drinking and aggressive behaviour caused severe harm to his former partner through a series of violent acts, which included choking her during an altercation and hitting her head against a wall.The woman described feeling exhausted and scarred, believing her head was permanently damaged and her life was ruined, as revealed in court.
Adrian Walker, aged 36, from Bridlington, admitted to assaulting the woman causing actual bodily harm in May, committing intentional strangulation in July, and wounding her in September.
Prosecutor Charlotte Baines explained that Walker and the woman had an on-off relationship spanning around three years, during which they also shared a child.
The relationship was heavily influenced by alcohol, with Walker regularly drinking lager and cider.
His controlling and aggressive nature led to name-calling, questioning her whereabouts, and demanding to know who she was with.
In May, after she asked him to leave during an argument, he refused and physically pushed her into the hallway, slamming her onto the bottom step roughly ten times before she managed to push him away.
In July, Walker returned home heavily intoxicated and inexplicably angry, starting to break kitchen items.
The woman asked him to leave, which he did, only wearing boxer shorts.
She locked the door, but Walker later complained to neighbours that she had thrown him out and that he was not at fault.
He then banged on doors and windows in his anger.
Out of fear, she allowed him to sleep on her sofa.
Once inside, he pushed her against a wall and strangled her, causing her to have difficulty breathing.
Despite her terror, he released her, and she went upstairs.
On September 8, she told Walker he needed to find somewhere else to live.
That evening, he returned around 10.30 pm, and the following day, an argument ensued when she tried to force him out.
During the fight, he grabbed her head and shattered it against a wall, resulting in a painful and bleeding head wound.
She sought medical treatment at Scarborough Hospital for the 4cm laceration, which was glued.
Later, Walker was found drinking outside a Lidl store in Bridlington.
The woman expressed feeling exhausted and scarred after the events, questioning how he could hurt her and contemplating what might have happened if it had been fatal.
She felt her life was broken and under his control, despite their separation.
Walker had a criminal record with 25 convictions dating from 2004 to recent years, including assault, breaching a non-molestation order, and drink-driving.
Mitigating, Cathy Kioko-Gilligan acknowledged Walker's remorse and the end of their relationship, emphasising the need for him to change his violent behaviours and attitudes, and noting some insight into his actions.
Judge Kate Rayfield described the relationship as profoundly damaging, emphasising the dangers of strangulation, which can cause serious injury or death, and the lasting trauma inflicted on the victim.
Walker, currently remanded in Hull Prison, was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison and was issued an indefinite restraining order.
