JAIL FOR GIRLFRIEND BEATER
A REPEAT offender who fractured his girlfriend’s jaw resulting in her needing extensive surgery has been jailed for 16 months.Darren Finney, of Rawlings Close, Birchwood, appeared at Warrington Crown Court charged with common assault and inflicting grievous bodily harm on Karen Craven, his former girlfriend.
Peter Frost, prosecuting the defendant, told the court on Friday that the defendant was in breach of a six month suspended sentence for battery and criminal damage, after attacking Ms Craven on May 30.
The incident took place after the couple, who had been together for 16 months, returned to the complainant’s home from a barbecue.
Mr Frost said: “He insisted he wanted more alcohol.
He brought up bottles of port and sherry.
Ms Craven didn’t want him to drink any more, she took the bottles from him.
As she reached the bottom of the stairs he pushed her in the back causing her to fall down the last three stairs.
“The defendant slapped her across the left side of her face, she responded by punching him to the face.
It is then he delivered what she describes as a forceful punch to his face causing he to fall.
She can recall hearing a cracking noise in her jaw.
The court heard that the defendant was remorseful because his former girlfriend is much smaller than him at 4 ft 7 inch while he is 5 ft 11 inch.
He was remanded in November after trying to contact the complainant.
Paulinus Barnes, defending the 34-year-old, said his client had started a domestic violence programme but would not be able to reap the benefits of it if he was handed a custodial sentence.
Judge Nicholas Woodward sentenced him to 12 months for inflicting GBH, one month concurrent for pushing her down the stairs, and four months consecutive for breaching his suspended sentence.
He was also given a five year restraining order to protect the complainant from him.
