MAN LEFT PARTNER BRUISED AND BLEEDING AFTER ASSAULT
2016.Man who repeatedly punched his partner in the face, leaving her bruised, bleeding and screaming, has been jailed.
Rudi Bellerby appeared before Worcester Crown Court on Friday, November 18, to be sentenced for attacking Bernadette Sanders in her home in Droitwich.
The assault not only caused injuries but also violated a restraining order designed to keep him away from her, as well as a suspended prison term.
The 39-year-old, who is currently without a fixed address, had previously been found guilty at Redditch Magistrates Court following the incident on October 4 in the Westlands area of Droitwich.
Prosecutor Michael Conry detailed that the two had been in a relationship since 2012 before Bellerby’s return to incarceration.
He said: "Neighbours described hearing noises between 2am and 3am coming from the address where he and Bernadette Sanders live, described as screaming and banging." A neighbour saw Miss Sanders outside the house at 6.33am, describing her as 'looking really scared'.
Mr Conry said when the neighbour opened the door Miss Sanders said 'help, please, don't say anything'.
He said: "She had visible injuries to her face, bleeding, bruising and swelling.
She was described as being timid and nervous." She confirmed Bellerby had caused the injuries but would not say anything more.
The incident began when Miss Sanders returned home from work.
She escaped and hid in a neighbour's garden, said Mr Conry.
When police arrived the defendant was found upstairs in a bedroom and arrested, making no comment in response to questions.
By being present at her address Bellerby was also in breach of a restraining order.
It also placed him in breach of a three-month prison sentence which had been suspended for 18 months.
The suspended sentence had been imposed in August 2015 and had not previously been activated by magistrates because of the time the defendant had spent on remand.
Gerald Bermingham, defending, said: "It is clear the relationship has been, over the years, less than kind.
"That is something which can't continue and won't continue.
It's not good for either for them.
At the bottom of his problem is alcohol." Mr Bermingham said Bellerby was becoming productive as a serving prisoner in HMP Hewell, working as an orderly in the prison hospital.
Judge Nick Cartwright said Bellerby had been living with Miss Sanders for nine months in breach of a restraining order.
He said: "If that is right it indicates that it was with her connivance if not her agreement.
He added: "You were shouting and raising your voice.
All of that went on for about one hour.
"Officers saw Bernadette Sanders had got bleeding, bruising and swelling to her face as a result of you punching her a number of times." For the assault he imposed a 14-week prison sentence and for the breach of the restraining order he imposed a consecutive 18-week prison sentence, taking the sentence to 32 weeks.
He also decided to activate 10 weeks of the suspended sentence, taking the total sentence to 42 weeks.
