'I AM GOING TO BURY YOU TONIGHT': DOMESTIC ABUSER JAILED AFTER CAUSING SEVERE INJURIES TO PARTNER
A 33-year-old man has been given a prison sentence of three years and seven months by Jersey's Royal Court after committing several offenses, including acts of domestic violence.William Watton-Roberts was convicted of serious criminal assault related to domestic violence, receiving stolen items, possessing cannabis, and contempt of court.
In addition to his custodial sentence, he was issued a Domestic Abuse Protection Order (DAPO) that requires him to inform police of relevant information, such as his whereabouts, over a five-year period.
The court heard that shortly after 7pm on Friday, 18 August 2023, Watton-Roberts arrived at his former partner's residence believing she was with another man.
He was intoxicated and began banging on the door, claiming she had locked him out.
He directed highly offensive language at her and then physically assaulted her multiple times, even threatening to kill her.
During the assault, he pulled her by her hair and sat on top of her as she tried to escape.
In her statement, the victim described Watton-Roberts saying, "I swear I am going to bury you tonight.
I am going to punch your f****** head in." A neighbour, upon hearing screams, intervened and saw through a glass panel that Watton-Roberts was choking his partner, who was struggling to breathe.
The neighbour also reported hearing him threaten, "I am going to kill you".
The neighbour managed to pull her free, and she hid in the bathroom of their home until police arrived around 10pm.
Watton-Roberts was subsequently charged and placed in custody.
During sentencing, he was seen smiling, and the judge described his actions as a "brutal and sustained attack." Medical reports confirmed multiple injuries to the partner, including strangulation marks and bite wounds to her face that required glueing.
His lawyer stated that Watton-Roberts wished to apologize but also claimed that he was first assaulted by his partner, who hit him with a frying pan.
