A FLINTSHIRE man battered his long-term partner and mother of his children in a Chester Travelodge, a court had heard.
Michael Wright, 31 and with a given address of Englefield Avenue in Connahs Quay, was sentenced at Chester Crown Court on Friday for causing grievous bodily harm against Courtney Sharpe in June this year.
He had also admitted two counts of criminal damage under £5,000 – one against Miss Sharpe and one against Travelodge in Pepper Street.
Prosecutor Miles Wilson told Judge Simon Berkson that the couple – who have three children together plus care for a child from the victim’s previous relationship – were on a night out in Chester for her birthday on June 5.
Having been described as a couple who ‘did not usually argue or have many nights out’, there was an argument in the Old Queens Head – in Foregate Street – over who should keep the victim’s birthday money.
Wright, who was highly intoxicated, followed his partner into the toilets at the pub and assaulted her with ‘up to three punches’, leading to him being ejected by door staff there.
Mr Wilson continued to say that Wright further assaulted Miss Sharpe in their hotel room, pulling her hair extensions out and kicked her on the floor while she tried to protect herself.
Mr Wilson said: “He pulled her hair again and she rang her mum for help who rang 999.
“The offence continued when she was on the phone to his father to get him to calm down but he grabbed and stamped on her phone before punching a mirror.
“She screamed at him to say ‘you’re killing me’ and when police arrested him, he continued to scream at her.
“He said he had no recollection of the incident because he became a different person when he drank.”
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Miss Sharpe read out a victim impact statement.
She said: “He is a loving father and partner which is why it is hard for me to get my head around what happened.
“I have now had to cancel our wedding which has lost us a lot of money and we had plans to travel with our children.
“This was out of character.”
She spoke of how he had supported his non-biological son and his disability needs and was in the process of adopting him.
She broke down in the witness box about how she had been let down and added that she ‘would never forgive him for what he did’.
David Rose, defending, said the issue for his client was alcohol.
He said: “This is a Jekyll and Hyde issue and his offending is drink related
“He abstained from alcohol for 12 months after his last offence but it is clear he becomes a different person when he has drunk.”
He will be supported by family and told he has a job and somewhere to live.
“He is truly, truly ashamed of himself.”
Judge Berkson, who earlier acknowledged Miss Sharpe’s statement that the defendant was considered a good father, said Wright only has himself to blame.
He added: “What should have been a nice night for you both turned into a nightmare for Courtney and now for you.
“You drunk far too much – you knew it was a danger to you and it was to her that night.
“For six years, you had a lovely relationship and you ruined it.
“You assaulted the woman you supposedly loved and the mother of your children and it was prolonged.
“It is obvious that you are ashamed of yourself – the pre-sentence report and Courtney’s statement shows signs of a good man.
“Your children loved you and will miss you but that is your fault.”
Wright was jailed for 30 months for the GBH but received no separate penalty for the two criminal damage offences.
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