VIOLENT BOYFRIEND KICKED WOMAN'S HEAD 'AS IF HER FACE WAS A FOOTBALL'
A man with a documented history of severe violence violently assaulted a woman during a heated dispute, kicking her while she was defenceless on the ground, describing the act as if her face was being kicked like a football.Gavin Dyball, a known drug user with a temper, left the woman with striking black eyes on both sides, and the assault inflicted serious facial injuries.
Her family was reportedly shocked upon seeing her injuries, and the court heard that the sustained and intense assault had a deeply devastating effect on her.
Dyball, aged 42 and residing on Lovett Street in Cleethorpes, was recently held on remand and admitted to the charges of actual bodily harm caused during the assault on May 27, as well as earlier incidents on April 1 of the previous year and April 9.
He pleaded guilty on the day his trial was due to begin.
During the hearing, Recorder Felicity Davies explained that Dyball and the woman were involved in a relationship for approximately a year in total, although the actual duration was shorter due to his time in custody.
She also noted that Dyball had known her since their school days.
The relationship ended on April 30, and during the period the offences took place, he exhibited not only abusive behaviour but also extreme violence.
On one occasion, he bit her on the forehead, necessitating hospital treatment.
A week later, during another argument, Dyball struck her in the face with a slipper, which he had inserted his hand into, and pushed her.
The attack resulted in bruising around her ear and eyebrow regions.
Recorder Davies said that "by far the worst" of the assaults happened on May 27 when there was again an argument at Dyball's home and he "viciously" attacked the woman.
"You punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground," said Recorder Davies.
"As she lay defenceless on the floor, you kicked her in the face and head while shouting at her and calling her names.
Not content with that violent assault, you pulled her hair and pulled clumps out and ripped the necklaces from her neck." The injury photographs showed serious damage to her face, "shocking black eyes both sides" and a cut to her cheek.
There was significant bruising around her cheekbone and under her chin.
"She went home after this assault and her family were shocked when they saw her," said Recorder Davies.
"She was taken to hospital.
She had bleeding coming out of her eye.
"She described the attack on her when she was on the floor as you kicking her in the face as if her face was a football." She was found to have bleeding in one eye and extensive bruising but "mercifully no facial fractures".
During police interview, Dyball made mainly no comment to questions.
He claimed that the woman had been drinking and that she might have caused her own injuries or, alternatively, he was acting in self-defence.
"Plainly, those were unsustainable claims by you," said Recorder Davies.
The injuries had a very grave impact on the woman.
"She was fearful of you coming back," said Recorder Davies.
"She suffers flashbacks to the incident.
She is now too scared to leave her house.
She can't fall asleep easily so her children are staying with her until she is able." The woman suffered pain, headaches and blurred vision because of the serious blows to her head and face during the "persistent and prolonged" attack.
Dyball had previous convictions dating back to 1997, including nine involving assaults, none of them domestic-related.
He had been jailed in 2019 for five years and 10 months for burglary.
He was jailed for seven years in 2012 for causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
"You are someone with a significant record of previous convictions for offences of violence over many years and you have served significant periods of time in custody both for violence and dishonesty," said Recorder Davies.
Oliver Shipley, mitigating, said that Dyball had a poor record of offences.
"He concedes that," said Mr Shipley.
"He will effectively serve a life sentence in instalments." Dyball had a "terribly poor childhood" and he had never had any relative stability.
"He started taking drugs from the age of 16," said Mr Shipley.
"He was introduced to heroin.
He spent a 10-year period of his life completely abstinent from drugs." Dyball relapsed into taking Class A drugs after serving the prison sentence for causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
"He had returned to crack cocaine and heroin," said Mr Shipley.
"He is clean of drugs now.
He accepts that he has to be punished for his offending." Dyball had previously studied for, but not completed, a degree in psychology and he had also been a drug support worker.
"There is a completely different side to this defendant," said Mr Shipley.
"There is a good side to him that he wants to bring back.
He wants to be a taxpayer." Dyball was jailed for three years and nine months and he was given a 10-year restraining order.
