A County Durham brute cased a “nasty” laceration to his partner’s nose after smashing a bowl over his own head.
Callum Griffiths pinned his then-girlfriend to the floor during an attack that was sparked after an argument on November 1 this year. The 28-year-old also bent the woman’s fingers back until they “cracked” and chased her down the street as she fled in terror with her young child.
On Thursday, Griffiths, of Buddle Walk, Newton Aycliffe, appeared at Durham Crown Court via link from HMP Durham to be sentenced for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage. He had pleaded guilty to the offences.
The court heard that Griffiths and the woman were in a relationship at the time and were drinking together at her home in Shildon. But things turned sour when they began looking through each other’s phones and Griffiths was found to have “sexual messages” from another person.
Anthony Pettengell, prosecuting, told the court an argument then broke out and Griffiths “became angry”. But when he was asked to leave the home, he instead locked her inside and subjected her to an assault.
Mr Pettengell said: “She was in the living room and found herself on the floor, he was on top of her legs. He smashed a bowl over his own head and shards fell down.” The court heard that the shards from the bowl caused a laceration to the woman’s nose as Griffiths tried to pull her up.
The woman then ran upstairs and locked herself in the bedroom. Griffiths then almost smashed the door off its hinges, causing £200 damage.
Mr Pettengell said Griffiths continued to stop her from leaving the home and at one point “bent her fingers back until she heard them crack”. When Griffiths went to get his dog, the woman managed to flee with her child – who was also in the house. Griffiths then gave chase before she sought help at another home. The court heard she was taken to hospital where she received some treatment to her nose.
In a victim statement, the woman said she was left “terrified” of Griffiths due to his unpredictability. She said she has also lost trust in people.
The court heard Griffiths had 29 previous convictions for 76 offences, the majority of which were for theft or criminal damage. He also had previous assaults on his record.
Elisha Marsay, defending, told the court Griffiths accepts he caused the “nasty cut” to the woman’s nose, saying: “The injury itself was caused as he was causing harm to himself. He smashed a bowl over his own head and shards hit the complainant’s face. He is genuinely sorry it happened, and if he’d known it was going to cause her injury, he would not have done it.”
She added: “He is now off drugs after being addicted to crack-cocaine and cannabis. He accepts binge drinking is an issue and that alcohol is a problem for him.”
Sentencing Griffiths, Judge Robert Adams said he had carried out a “sustained assault” in the woman’s own home. He jailed Griffiths for eight months and imposed a 10 year restraining order.
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