2010: NORWICH TEEN JAILED FOR BEATING GIRLFRIEND
A teenager has been jailed for 14 months for beating up and harassing his girlfriend, carrying a knife, and assaulting a police officer.Norwich Crown Court heard that on one occasion Daniel Marsden, 19, punched and kicked his girlfriend to the floor at a Norwich supermarket and security guards had to drag him off her.
The court heard, however, that Marsden continued to evade police because he had a hiding place at the home they shared in Wilberforce Road, West Earlham.
But he was arrested after his girlfriend finally summoned up the guts to tell police where he was hiding, although police had to use a taser gun to subdue him.
Marsden appeared for sentencing yesterday, after earlier pleading guilty to actual bodily harm, putting a person in fear of violence by harassment, possessing an offensive weapon and assaulting a police officer.
Lindsay Cox, prosecuting, said Marsden was handed a four months suspended sentence by Norwich magistrates for two offences of battery in August last year, with a condition attached not to contact his girlfriend.
On July 31 he had punched her in the face, and on August 5 he punched and kicked her to the floor in a Norwich supermarket.
Mr Cox said police visited the house following an argument in the early hours of September 16/17.
'He told her to get out, punched her in the face so her eyesight was blurred,' Mr Cox said.
'When the ambulance arrived he hid in a cavity under the bed.
He had told her that if she told where his hiding place was, he would kill her.
The police searched the premises and did not find him.
When they left he again threatened to kill her and slapped her.
Another ambulance was called and he hid again.
She had concussion this time.' Mr Cox added the complainant was followed to a doctor's surgery by Marsden on September 18, and he verbally assaulted her and pulled out a kitchen knife with a six-inch blade.
Mr Cox said: 'The police were called and this time the defendant was found hiding under the bed.
He told police officers they would have to kill him to get him out of the house.
He lashed out and sank his nails into an officer's forearm and thigh.
Police used a taser gun to subdue him.
He subsequently again contacted the complainant by phone and made threats to her.' Mr Cox said Marsden was given a referral order for 12 months for causing actual bodily harm to his girlfriend, who was six months pregnant with his child, in 2008.
He had punched her in the stomach and banged her head against a wall.
In mitigation, Jonathon Seeley said: 'He is the most inarticulate person I have seen in a long time and suffers from learning difficulties.
But he has declared his intention to put this behind him and take his punishment on the chin.' Judge Paul Downes told Marsden: 'Your relationship with this lady has resulted in you being in court on many occasions.
Your conduct has been very persistent.'
