2000: WOLVERHAMPTON MAN JAILED FOR ATTACKING WIFE AND RIPPING GOLD CHAINS
A man aged 25, who assaulted his estranged wife after arranging to meet at Kidderminster College car park, has been sentenced to two years imprisonment.Preece admitted to the robbery, during which he tore four gold chains from his wife Debbie’s neck, caused her to sustain a black eye, and kicked her when she fell to the ground, as stated by prosecutor Mr.
Tony Fryer at Worcester Crown Court.
The couple had previously lived in Cradley Heath, West Midlands, before separating, with Mrs.
Preece moving to stay with her parents in Kidderminster.
On April 4, Preece called her, claiming he had retrieved some of her clothes from their former home.
When they met in the car park, he hit her in the face and removed her necklaces worth £1,180.
His arrest came 16 days later at his Wolverhampton bedsit.
The altercation began over his desire to recover his wedding ring, which she continued to wear on a chain around her neck.
She responded by slapping him, leading him to rip the chains.
Preece, previously a heroin user, had left Kidderminster to stay away from drugs.
His wife had left him with their 19-month-old child, who was being cared for by his parents in Blackheath.
He admitted to losing control and striking out during the heated exchange.
Judge Andrew Geddes condemned the act as "a disgraceful incident and an outrageous thing to do to anybody."
