GARETH WOODS

EDWINSTOWE MAN JAILED AFTER ASSAULTING PARTNER AND ABUSING POLICE OFFICER

An Edwinstowe resident, Gareth Wood, has been sentenced to custody after admitting assault and racially-aggravated harassment, a court has heard.

The incident occurred in the early hours of November 7, when Wood’s partner called emergency services from her home on Turner Lane, Boughton.

According to the court, she reported that Wood had grabbed her by the throat, pushed her against a wall, and punched her in the face.

She was left with a black eye and marks on her neck, although she did not request a restraining order or support the prosecution.

Following his arrest, Wood reportedly banged his head repeatedly against the police van cage and had to be handcuffed and placed in leg restraints.

While in custody, he directed racially abusive language toward officers.

One officer stated the abuse left him feeling “demoralised,” adding: “This is now becoming a regular occurrence and it isn’t right.

I don’t come to work to be racially abused.” The court heard that Wood already had 20 previous convictions for 42 offences, including ten serious assaults, possession of offensive weapons, and two assaults against the same victim.

He was said to have been serving a five-week suspended sentence at the time of this latest offence, and had previously spent a month on remand and been fitted with a monitoring tag.

Mitigating, Chris Perry said Wood had been “tearful” when shown photos of the injuries caused and claimed he had “keenly felt the consequences” of his actions.

The court was told he had since been abstinent and wished to demonstrate remorse.

District Judge Leo Pyle said Wood’s criminal record significantly aggravated the latest offences.

Wood, of Merryweather Close, Edwinstowe, was sentenced to nine months and one week in custody, minus time already spent on remand, and ordered to pay £200 compensation.