JON FINCH

John Finch, aged 29, residing on Hills Mead Road in Kings Norton, Birmingham, admitted in Warwick Crown Court to charges of causing serious bodily harm and engaging in controlling or coercive behavior within a relationship with a woman from Southam.

At the time, Finch was residing in the woman's home.

He received a prison sentence of two years and ten months.

Prosecutor Zaheer Afzal explained that the woman, who was living with her 11-year-old son, had met Finch in November of the previous year.

By January, Finch had moved into her residence in Southam.

He described the woman’s injuries, including bruises on her arms and neck, which he associated with numerous incidents during their relationship.

Afzal stated that Finch would demand attention and would not accept refusals, often physically assaulting her if she ignored his demands.

Among at least five incidents, Finch is said to have grabbed her when she failed to meet his expectations, thrown her around, and assaulted her.

Specific events included him kicking a cupboard and punching her arm on January 14, and seizing her around the neck on January 31.

Further incidents involved Finch grabbing her glasses and forcing them into her mouth on February 2, and strangling her after a telephone argument, pushing her against a door.

He also sent threatening text messages, including threats to stab her.

Finch reportedly expressed to her that he wished the guilt of his imprisonment would consume her.

On February 27, Finch's anger over her dog defecating inside escalated to violence.

He reportedly threw a remote at her, then punched her in the side, causing her to fall.

While she was on the ground, he pressed his foot on her head, temporarily causing her to lose consciousness.

She managed to free herself and told him to leave, which he did after her son packed his belongings.

However, Finch returned, claiming his wallet was still at the house, and the woman locked herself in her bedroom to escape him.

Finch left again.

Following the assault, she was hospitalized and diagnosed with a fractured rib and a punctured lung, resulting in her being admitted for a week.

The court was informed of Finch’s past convictions for violence, including grievous bodily harm, and that he was serving a community order due to previous convictions involving the sharing of private images of an ex-partner.

During the hearing, defence lawyer Simon Hands acknowledged the incident was a single blow and highlighted Finch’s remorse.

He also noted that Finch had a positive employment history and had remained out of trouble from 1999 to 2011.

Recorder Anthony Potter sentenced Finch to nearly three years in prison.

He emphasized that the offenses involved violence against a woman he had recently met and lived with, describing Finch’s conduct as violent and belittling, especially noting the injury that caused a rib fracture and lung puncture in her own home.