SOLDIER BROKE GIRLFRIEND'S NECK AND TOLD HER TO TAKE PAINKILLERS
A soldier with a “distinguished career” fractured his partner’s neck in a violent outburst during an argument at his home.Stephen Williams lashed out at Katherine Wilson, tipping her out of bed after she chose to sleep in the spare room.
During the altercation, he seized her by the throat and hurled her to the ground, causing her head to strike the bed frame.
Ms Wilson reported hearing a loud crack in her neck, followed by “incredible and immediate pain” that left her fearing the worst.
When she told Williams at his property in Hunts Cross that she believed her neck was broken, he replied: “F** off, don’t be stupid.” The 38-year-old instead suggested she take some painkillers and lie down.
He later agreed to drive her to hospital on 8 August.
At Liverpool Crown Court, it was confirmed she had suffered a hyper-extension neck injury, commonly known as a “hangman’s fracture.” Due to the severity of the injury, Ms Wilson was required to wear a medical halo for five months, rendering her unable to move her head, drive, work, or carry out basic tasks independently, such as washing or using the toilet.
Just a month before the assault, the court heard, Williams had previously grabbed his partner by the throat for several seconds before leaving her home, prosecutor Christopher Hopkins told the court.
The events on 8 August unfolded after the couple visited Williams’s parents for dinner.
During the evening, a disagreement arose over a claim he had allegedly lied.
This led to a heated argument, after which Ms Wilson decided to sleep in a separate room.
She threw a pillow towards the door, which Williams interpreted as blocking his entry.
He struck her with the pillow, then returned later and upended the bed to eject her.
Mr Hopkins said the row escalated, prompting Ms Wilson to call for a taxi so she could leave.
As she tried to pack her belongings, Williams attempted to enter the room again.
When she blocked him, he grabbed at her, and in fear, she tried to bite his finger to make him stop.
As the situation deteriorated, Williams shouted at her, prompting her to throw his watch on the floor.
In response, he grabbed her by the neck and threw her down, leading to the injury when her head collided with the bed frame.
Appearing at Liverpool Crown Court today, Williams, a serviceman with 20 years of “exemplary” military service, was sentenced after pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm.
His defence counsel, Charles Lander, appealed for the sentence to be suspended.
However, Judge Neil Flewitt QC rejected the plea, stating: “I would be failing in my public duty and my responsibility to Katherine Wilson if I didn’t mark this with a custodial sentence.” Williams received a 14-month prison sentence, of which he will serve half.
