A CARLISLE man who struck his pregnant partner over the head with a bottle has been jailed for 15 months by a judge who branded him a “coward” and a “bully”.
Anne Lansdowne was attacked by Brian Mark Reginald Light when she returned to her city home after an evening at the bingo on January 4.
Carlisle Crown Court heard the couple had been together for 13 years during an often “turbulent” relationship.
“Probably drunk”, 31-year-old Light made reference to a perceived grievance before taking hold of a bottle of WKD by the neck, raising it up and striking Miss Lansdowne on the top of her head. “This caused a laceration which was superficial but it did bleed profusely,” said prosecutor Richard Haworth.
Miss Lansdowne was treated in hospital having walked there with Light, who on the way instructed her to tell medical staff she had fallen over in her back yard – conduct described by Judge Nicholas Barker as “disgraceful cowardice”.
Light admitted a charge of actual bodily harm when he appeared in court this morning (THURS). Judge Barker noted Light, of Raffles Avenue, Carlisle, had an “appalling” criminal record featuring a raft of violence and drink-related offences, and had attacked Miss Lansdowne only weeks after receiving a community order for assaulting an emergency worker and causing damage.
While on remand in custody, however, he had taken alcohol awareness and anger management courses, and been described by a prison wing manager as “one of the best mentors” he had encountered.
Jailing Light, Judge Barker called the January 4 criminal conduct: “An act of a bully, an act of a coward – and that’s exactly what you are.”
