2012: MAN, 24, JAILED FOR THREE ATTACKS ON NEW GIRLFRIEND
A MAN who attacked his girlfriend three times in as many days has been jailed.Joseph Smith, aged 24, left Jodie Taylor-Wallis covered in bruises after he assaulted her at her Worcester home on three consecutive dates.
Abbey Kingston, prosecuting, said the couple had known each other for six years, but had been together just two weeks when he became physically and verbally abusive.
At 9pm on May 8, Smith, of Field Place, Blackpole, Worcester, visited Ms Taylor-Wallis at her flat and asked her to go outside to share a cigarette.
An argument started, and he ran at her, causing her to fall backwards and hit her forearm on a door.
He took her house key and threatened to punch her.
In the early hours of the next morning, Ms Taylor-Wallis woke up in her flat with Smith standing over her.
Ms Kingston said that Ms Taylor-Wallis described Smith as “going mad” and he pushed her against a wall.
He repeatedly threw her against a gas box before prodding her in the face with the key.
He asked her if she was seeing someone else.
He then punched her on the left cheek.
On May 10, Ms Taylor-Wallis’ mother was visiting when Smith arrived at her flat, apologising for his actions the previous night and promised to “treat her like a princess”.
When she told him their relationship was over, Smith grabbed her around the neck and told her he would kill her.
Ms Kingston told the court Ms Taylor-Wallis thought she was “going to die” until Smith let go and she was able to escape.
Her injuries included a swollen black eye and swelling and bruises on her neck.
She had requested the court to place a restraining order on Smith preventing him from contacting her.
Smith admitted three charges of assault by beating.
He had also already pleaded guilty to separate charges of assaulting Jason Curtis by punching him on April 13 and failing to surrender to bail on June 29.
Her injuries included a swollen black eye and swelling and bruises on her neck.
She had requested the court to place a restraining order on Smith preventing him from contacting her.
Her injuries included a swollen black eye and swelling and bruises on her neck.
She had requested the court to place a restraining order on Smith preventing him from contacting her.
Smith had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as suspected psychosis.
But District Judge Bal Dhaliwal said she would be “failing in her duty” if she did not jail him.
She sentenced him to 18 weeks in prison for the third assault, 12 weeks concurrent for the second assault and four weeks concurrent for the first assault.
Smith received another four weeks concurrent for the assault against Mr Curtis, no separate penalty for failing to surrender and seven days concurrent for failing to pay a fine.
