MAN PUNCHED PREGNANT PARTNER IN FACE RESULTING IN BLACK EYES
Preston Crown Court heard that 28-year-old Declan Wilding frequently became violent after consuming alcohol.His partner was afraid to reveal the injury details to hospital staff, falsely claiming she fell down the stairs instead of disclosing the punch that caused her black eyes and bloody nose.
The incident took place in 2019, indicating the victim had been hiding the abuse for some time.
Wilding, who currently has no fixed address but formerly lived in Rishton, also faced charges related to another assault, along with accusations of driving while disqualified and threatening property damage.
Prosecutor Hanifa Patel stated that the second assault happened in February of the previous year, when Wilding, during a heated argument, seized the woman by her face and throat, holding her over a sofa.
Ring security footage showed Wilding's actions, which occurred in front of their son, and he was heard shouting twice, "I'm going to leather you." The woman ended the relationship in July, blocking Wilding’s number and all social media accounts.
In September, she received a call from an unknown number, which was later identified as Wilding asking to retrieve belongings from her shed.
She agreed under the condition that he paid her and blocked the number after this call, but received five more.
The next day, she got another call from Wilding, who again asked to collect his items, and she declined.
Later that morning, she heard a motorbike outside; it was Wilding, who was disqualified from driving, at her driveway’s bottom.
He threatened to hurt her and her children, calling her derogatory names and vowing to damage her car.
Arrested, Wilding remained silent during police interviews, laughing at some questions.
Defence solicitor Tobias Collins acknowledged Wilding knew his behavior was wrong and expressed remorse.
However, Judge Phillip Parry described this as a prolonged period of domestic abuse marked by relentless violence and said Wilding’s conduct culminated in two serious assault offenses.
The judge did not find his remorse genuine and sentenced Wilding to nearly three years in prison, disqualified him from driving for over two years, and imposed a ten-year restraining order banning him from entering two streets in Great Harwood.
