2014: JAILED: THUG WHO PUNCHED, KICKED, BIT AND HEADBUTTED GIRLFRIEND IN ROW OVER BENEFITS
A man responsible for assaulting his girlfriend through multiple violent acts has been sentenced to prison.Craig Leach attacked Maria Calligan by punching, kicking, biting, and headbutting her, as well as threatening her with death, during two separate incidents, court proceedings in Bolton heard.
The first assault occurred at a social gathering on January 15, when Leach, aged 32, struck Ms.
Calligan in the face following a disagreement over a missed benefits payment.
He left the scene but the conflict continued as Ms.
Calligan, with whom he had been in a relationship for 15 years and with whom he shared two children, returned to their Bolton residence at about 1:30 a.m.
on January 16.
The court was informed that he then continued to physically attack her, with Ms.
Calligan shielding herself by curling into a ball until she lost consciousness.
On January 18, while alone at home, Miss Calligan went to bed around 8:30 p.m.
but Leach reportedly broke into the property around midnight and launched a second violent assault.
He threatened her life, pulled her from bed, and physically assaulted her by kicking, headbutting, and biting her.
She managed to escape and sought help from passersby, who then called the police.
Leach, from Elgin Street, Halliwell, admitted to two charges of assault causing actual bodily harm, after initially denying four separate charges.
The court sentenced him to two years in prison, with half served on licence, and imposed a four-year restraining order.
Defense lawyer Mark Friend expressed that Leach felt remorse and shame for his actions.
The judge, Recorder Jeremy Lasker, highlighted the severity of the case, describing it as a series of recurrent violent offenses linked to a long history of violence in the relationship.
He stated that only a custodial sentence was appropriate given the seriousness of the crimes.
