Joshua Green of Betworthy, Coaley, was sentenced at Gloucester Crown Court yesterday, Wednesday (March 22) after admitting a charge of causing grievous bodily harm.
Prosecutor Simon Goodman told the court that on February 4 this year Green was with his partner, who was looking after five children at their home in Stonehouse.
“While the couple had argued in the past over the four years they had been together, Green had never been violent towards her,” said Mr Goodman.
“But when the woman was putting the children to bed, and was struggling to get them settled, she called out to Green to help her and said he needed to put his foot down with the children.
“Green, who had been drinking, started shouting at one of the children, ripping the television that they had been watching away from the wall and kicking it downstairs.
“The woman told Green to calm down and said that his actions were completely unnecessary and excessive.
“This response was met with Green going around the house and filling black bags with her clothing and other items and placing them in the car.
“When Green returned to the property he believed that the woman had phoned the police and he lunged towards her, grabbing hold of her phone.
“It developed into a violent tussle. Green then grabbed hold of his partner’s arm and wrist.
“He then put his arm through hers before twisting it behind her back. She began screaming. He wouldn’t let go and swung a punch at her but she was able to duck out of the way.
“She grabbed his top to try and stop him from being violent towards her. He let go after what she believed was three minutes.
“The woman then texted Green’s mother to come and collect him as she believed that she would be the only person to calm him down.”
The court was told that after the incident the victim suffered back fits and was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. Her injuries currently require ongoing physiotherapy.
The woman also gave a statement to the police, but retracted it a few days later, saying that it was a one-off incident.
Green was subsequently arrested and admitted kicking the television downstairs and behaving inappropriately.
Steven Young, defending Green, said his client accepts that he handled the situation badly and hopes his relationship can be rekindled.
“There is a plan in place for a phased return and whatever happens today he will not be going home immediately.
“The offending was committed in a domestic setting, in the presence of alcohol – which Green accepts played a significant part in his behaviour that night.”
Judge Rupert Lowe sentenced Green to a suspended 18-month prison sentence and ordered him to complete 140 hours of unpaid work, attend 30 programme days and a 60 day alcohol treatment requirement.
The judge also excluded Green from the family home for four months and ordered that he be fitted with a GPS monitoring tag for the same time period.
