OFFENDER PHILLIP COOK RECEIVES SUSPENDED SENTENCE FOR ASSAULTING PREGNANT PARTNER
A BOYFRIEND who punched his pregnant partner in the face, smashing her eye socket and cheekbone, has avoided a spell behind bars.Teesside Crown Court heard how Phillip Cook inflicted the terrible injuries on Stephanie Downing in a drunken rage outside a Stockton pub.
The couple had been drinking in The Park from 2pm on March 22 following a court hearing on a Class A drugs matter, the court heard.
At around 10.30pm the two found themselves outside the pub along with Cook’s mother who had made her disapproval of their cocaine use known to the pair.
Prosecutor Christopher Attwooll told the court Cook, 30, then attacked Miss Downing, who was pregnant at the time.
“He became agitated, grabbed her by the hair and dragged her to the floor,” said Mr Attwooll.
“He then punched her to the face.” Miss Downing suffered a fractured eye socket and cheekbone, bleeding the eye and damage to the retina.
The injuries required immediate surgery.
Cook, of Water Avens Way, Stockton, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm.
Michael Bosomworth, defending, said: “He is a powerful young man and has regrettably caused the injury which is clearly a serious one.
“He is deeply remorseful for that.
This incident seems to have brought him to his senses.” Mr Bosomworth said his client had been kicked out of the army 10 years ago because of a previous offence and was now working as a long distance driver.
He said his client would work hard through the week and then binge drink at weekends but had now stopped going out and was seeking counselling for his temper through anger management sessions.
Judge Peter Armstrong gave Cook an eight-month prison sentence suspended for two years with 18-month supervision, a domestic violence programme and ordered him to pay £1,500 compensation to Miss Downing and £500 in costs.
