A man who attacked his ex-partner with a flurry of punishes, leaving her grounded, unconscious and with a facial fracture, has been given a 27-month prison sentence.
Carlisle Crown Court heard 31-year-old James Shaw and the woman split four days before he meted out shocking violence inside her Ambleside home on August 24.
After unsuccessful attempts by the woman to contact Shaw in the intervening time, he arrived at her home at around midnight and threw a brick through the living room window.
As Shaw barged into the property, the terrified woman retreated into the hallway and begged him to leave. But he went in after her, punching her several times to the side of her face, knocking her to the floor.
When the woman got up, Shaw punched her back to the ground. She spoke of losing consciousness and of feeling “unbelievable” pain. A neighbour had heard him say “you deserve it” and “I can do whatever I want”.
Shaw left the address having been dragged away by a friend, and police called by the neighbour attended swiftly, finding the smashed glass, brick and the injured victim.
She was taken to hospital and underwent a CT scan which revealed a facial fracture.
“She took pictures of herself in the aftermath and sent them to the defendant so that he understood what he had done,” said prosecutor Brendan Burke.
Shaw also spoke in contact between them of going “radge” and, after being released on bail, then sent her a message seeking to deter her from assisting in any prosecution against him.
In an initial statement, the woman had said: “But for the presence of my friend in the property, I really believed he would have killed me.”
After being brought to court, Shaw admitted causing grievous bodily harm and criminal damage. The woman had since made a retraction statement and indicated her wish to remain in a relationship with Shaw, of Longlands View, Kendal.
Kim Whittlestone, mitigating for the defendant, said there were a number of issues Shaw had to address before any safe reconciliation could occur.
The court heard of Shaw’s numerous past criminal conditions, including for violence against women and robbery, and of drug and alcohol abuse. He had been remanded in custody since August.
Passing sentence, Recorder Julian Shaw described photographs of the woman’s injuries as “shocking”. “You are 31 years old and it is time you learned to behave yourself, curb your aggression and stop attacking vulnerable women,” said the judge.
He also warned him: “Lay a finger on another woman, Mr Shaw, and you will go to prison for increasingly lengthy periods of time.”
