A man who grabbed a teenage girl around the throat as he carried out a violent attack which left her injured and terrified has been jailed for three-and-a-half-years.
Thirty-year-old Jacek Kuliga’s assault took place in two different rooms of an address in the Penrith area in January, 2021.
Prosecutor Tim Evans told Carlisle Crown Court how Kuliga had dragged the young girl and grabbed her around the throat. Her clothing was ripped during an incident which left her with bruising across her body, including her neck.
In an impact statement, the girl had spoken of her terror in the aftermath of Kuliga’s violence. “Terror of males, terror of leaving the house,” explained Mr Evans. She had suffered nightmares, lost trust in adults and her schooling had been affected.
Kuliga denied assault occasioning actual bodily harm and took his case to trial, meaning his young victim had to give evidence. But he was convicted, unanimously, by a jury.
Mr Evans noted that Kuliga continued to maintain his innocence and had claiming he was actually the victim of a physical attack by the girl.
Referring to Kuliga, who appeared in court remotely over a link from prison, Mr Evans said to the judge, Recorder Tony Hawks: “Your Honour sees on video today that he maintains the bulk that he had when he was in the witness box in the courtroom.”
Kuliga had previously admitted a separate offence of voyeurism which related to his use of a mini-camera with a motion sensor. This had captured intimate images of a woman, the court heard.
Defence solicitor Jeff Smith, giving mitigation, said Polish national Kuliga had been a working man since arriving in the UK eight years ago. He had accommodation available to him and hoped to return to work when released from custody as he sought to make a make a positive contribution to society.
Mr Smith conceded of the offending on his two victims: “There is no doubt they have suffered as a consequence of his behaviour.”
Jailing Kuliga, of Broadoaks Grange, Carlisle, Recorder Hawks said he had launched a sustained attack on the teenager.
“She must have been terrified given her size and your relative size,” said the judge. “She has been unable to sleep and no doubt is still reliving, as she had to do during the course of the trial, this prolonged and disgraceful assault on her. The effect of both offences has been extremely bad.”
