LEE MERRETT FROM WALSALL JAILED FOR BRUTAL ATTACK AT DYMCHURCH CARAVAN PARK

In June 2016, a disturbing incident unfolded at a caravan park in Dymchurch, Kent, involving a man from Walsall, West Midlands, named Lee Merrett. The events culminated in Merrett being sentenced to prison for a violent assault that targeted both his partner and their infant son.

Merrett, aged 23 at the time, had consumed a significant amount of alcohol, reportedly drinking most of a bottle of Jack Daniels before the altercation. The situation escalated when his girlfriend, concerned about his drunken state, asked him to stay with her and their nine-month-old child instead of going to an amusement arcade nearby. This seemingly minor request ignited a fierce argument, which quickly turned violent.

According to court proceedings, the dispute was fueled by Merrett’s intoxication and frustration. During the confrontation, he struck his partner in the face a total of twenty times, with Scott Brady, the prosecutor, describing the assault as brutal. Merrett’s rage did not stop there; he also threw an aerosol can at her, further endangering her safety. The violence then turned towards their young child, with Merrett delivering a punch to the crying baby’s face. The impact left the infant with a swollen black eye and caused him considerable pain, a distressing sight for anyone witnessing the incident.

As the situation worsened, Merrett headbutted his partner, who managed to break free from his grasp. She fled the caravan in a state of terror, seeking refuge and safety. She knocked on several other caravan doors in her desperate attempt to find someone who could help her and her child. Eventually, she succeeded in finding a caravan owner willing to let her and her baby inside and promptly called the police to report the assault.

Law enforcement officers located Merrett hiding beneath a caravan nearby. Confronted by the police, he admitted to the assaults on both his partner and their child. The partner later recounted that she had been struck approximately twenty times during the violent episode, and she confirmed that their three-year relationship had come to an end following the incident. Merrett also admitted to verbally abusing her, calling her various derogatory names, and claimed that she had struck him first, leading to him grabbing her around the throat for a period estimated between fifteen and twenty seconds.

In court, Judge Simon James condemned Merrett’s actions, describing them as “frankly unforgivable, disgraceful and cowardly.” Merrett was sentenced to 15 months in prison for the assaults. The judge emphasized the gravity of his violence, particularly highlighting the attack on his young child. He stated, “You punched your young child in the face, causing bruising. Violence against a child of his age is frankly unforgivable. It was a disgraceful and cowardly act. It was your job to protect your child, not subject him to violence.”