2015: MARRIAGE PROPOSAL MAN JAILED FOR ASSAULTING FIANCEE HOURS AFTER ASKING HER TO MARRY HIM
A man faced a two-year, two-month prison sentence after assaulting his girlfriend just hours following her acceptance of his marriage proposal.During the court hearing at Bolton Crown Court, it was detailed that Jonathan Proudman was initially arrested but later on bail, he threatened his partner by stating that he would contact social services unless she withdrew her police statement.
Prosecutor Lindsay Thomas stated that on March 29, Proudman, aged 29, and his girlfriend spent the afternoon and evening drinking in Manchester.
She recounted, “During their time in Manchester, the defendant proposed, and she accepted.” The couple’s return to Bolton marked a shift as Proudman assaulted her, grabbing her arm and pinning her to a wall by her shoulders, in addition to throwing her laptop onto the ground twice.
Proudman, with a prior record of attacking former partners, was detained by police and placed on bail.
Despite this, he continued to contact Ms Rutherford via phone and messaging, making threats to cause trouble if she did not alter her police statement.
He also warned that he would harm her friend and involve social services to remove her children.
Proudman, residing in Wemsley Grove, Tonge Moor, pleaded guilty to charges of assault, criminal damage, and witness intimidation.
The judge, Timothy Clayson, sentenced him to two years and two months behind bars, condemning his conduct as “outrageous,” highlighting the distress caused by his threats to involve social services to strip her of her children.
