DAVID CASSIDY SPARED PRISON FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFFENCE
A successful Bolton businessman who threatened to chop his wife’s head off whilst on a Mother's Day getaway with their children has avoided jail.David Cassidy, 44, appeared before Preston Crown Court charged with two counts of assault by beating, threats to kill, and one count of threat to damage or destroy property.
The incident occurred in March at a caravan park in Blackpool after the victim had accused Cassidy of having extramarital affairs.
Heavily intoxicated, the defendant woke his wife shouting that he was trying to gouge her eyes out, while their children slept metres away.
Audio recorded by the victim and played in the courtroom heard the defendant shouting and saying he would burn down their house and chop his wife's and her father's head off.
Judge Richard Archer, sentencing, said: “Each of those offences arises from a deeply unpleasant incident at a caravan park.
It was the early hours of Mother’s Day when you went away with your partner and two children.
When under the influence of alcohol and in an obviously confined space, an argument broke out with signs of infidelity in the relationship.
You burst into awful violence and make an action as if to gouge her eyes.
I have heard an audio recording, and it is distressing listening, and it must have been more distressing for your children, and they must have questioned what their father and mother were doing.
You made threats to your partner that you would kill her and burn the property down, and you would cut her head off.
The screams of terror from your partner and children are the best evidence of your offending.
Simon Gurney, offering mitigation, said Cassidy was of previous good character and volunteers at Prestwich Football Club and at a number of community projects, including working with disadvantaged young people and at a local food bank.
Mr Gurney said: “These are plainly and deeply unpleasant offences, and I accept they cross the custody threshold.
My submission is that the custodial sentence is capable of suspension, given the mitigation and credit for pleas.
He is of positive good character; it was an aberration from a hyper-emotional situation and the influence of alcohol, which is clear from the recording.
It is unacceptable, and he recognises the seriousness of the reaction, and he struggles to control his emotions.
He does not blame alcohol, but this is a problem that he has had and something he wants to work on.
He has taken steps to reduce his alcohol consumption, and that is a factor underlying this behaviour, and he is keen to work on it moving forward.
Cassidy, of Overdale Road, was also said to be upset by the harm caused to his ex-partner and children, but remained committed to the best outcome.
It was also said that Cassidy works as a consultant for a retail and care company and is deemed to be integral to the success of the business.
The company's chief executive said the business would struggle if it were to lose Cassidy and that people might be laid off if he could not contribute.
Cassidy was also said to pay for all the family bills; he remained financially dependent.
His lawyer highlighted that if he were unable to work, his family wouldn’t be able to maintain their current accommodation, which would be devastating.
Judge Archer added: “The reality is that your victim would, in a financial sense, be revictimized if you serve a custodial sentence, leading to the loss of her and the children's home.
There is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation if you engage, although you do not pose a high risk of reoffending.
Cassidy was sentenced to 19 months, suspended for two years, and ordered to wear an alcohol monitoring tag for 120 days.
He was also instructed to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and pay costs of £705.
A restraining order was put in place to protect the victim.
