Plymouth man jailed for brutal attack on ex-partner with baseball bat

Steven Evans, aged 50, was involved in a violent assault on his former partner, which included headbutting her to the floor and hitting her with a baseball bat. The incident occurred when the woman was leaving her flat, and Evans targeted her during a quick and unpremeditated attack. He used a baseball bat, which he claimed was a rounders bat used for stress relief, to strike the woman on her head while she was on the ground, causing a deep 3cm full-thickness cut that required stitches at the hospital. The court heard that Evans had a history of violence but was out of trouble since the early 1990s and was a licensed coach and taxi driver. During the court proceedings, Evans pleaded guilty to assault causing grievous bodily harm without intent, possession of an offensive weapon (the baseball bat), and criminal damage to the woman's door. He was sentenced to 33 months in prison and was handed a five-year restraining order banning him from contacting the woman. The judge, Mr. Justice Darlow, described the assault as targeted and described Evans’s actions as terrifying and unprovoked. Evans was arrested on a Megabus while he was en route to Plymouth for his court hearing. He initially faced allegations of racially-aggravated threatening behaviour but was later produced to court where he admitted the attack. The court was also told that Evans had been suffering depression after losing his brother last year, and he had an apparent history of stress-relieving activities involving hitting golf balls with the bat. The incident was captured in court and in photographs, with detailed descriptions of the attack and subsequent arrest.