MUM WHO WAS BEATEN WHILST HOLDING HER BABY HAS CRITICISED HER BARROW ABUSER'S LENIENT SENTENCE
A woman who feared she would die after a brutal assault by her former partner has spoken out against what she calls a “lenient” sentence handed down by the court.Zoe Coates, 25, was left traumatised after being attacked by Luke Marshall in February while cradling her newborn baby.
Now, she has publicly criticised the punishment given to Marshall, saying it sends a damaging message to victims of domestic abuse.
Recalling her experience, Ms Coates said: “He assaulted me when I was 20 weeks pregnant, but the court dismissed it because the six-month reporting window had passed.
“There was another time he broke my nose.
It happened so many times, I’ve lost count.
“On 15 February, after an argument, he started swinging punches at my face and the back of my head.
He tore clumps of hair from my scalp, gave me a black eye – all while I was holding our three-week-old son.
“I thought I was going to die.” Marshall, 42, of Barrow, appeared at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court on Monday, where he was convicted of two counts of assault.
He received a custodial sentence of 26 weeks, though eight of those weeks had already been served while on remand.
As a result, he was released immediately following the hearing.
Marshall was also issued with a restraining order.
However, Ms Coates said she remains fearful for her safety and is particularly concerned for the wellbeing of her children.
“He knows where I live,” she said.
“If he turns up, I might not be able to call the police.
“My biggest fear is for my children’s safety, even more than my own.
“I’m terrified something will happen to them.
“This doesn’t give me or anyone else the confidence to report abuse or trust the justice system.” A spokesperson for Women’s Aid stressed that sentencing must reflect the seriousness of domestic violence.
“Lenient sentences undermine the severity of the offence and the lasting pain it causes survivors,” she said.
“It also sends a dangerous signal to perpetrators that they can escape serious consequences.
Sentences for domestic abuse must send a clear message that this behaviour is wholly unacceptable.”
