Assault ended only when he needed the loo

A VIOLENT attack on his girlfriend led to former island footballer Craig Le Prevost yesterday being jailed for 18 months. The Royal Court heard how 38-year-old Le Prevost, who pleaded guilty to assault, left his victim, whom he had known for three-and-a-half years, bruised and battered after a drunken rage.

Deputy Bailiff Richard Collas said Le Prevost's victim, who was slapped, hit, grabbed, punched and dragged around the room by her hair, was likely to suffer psychologically in the long term.

'You punched her in the ribs, you slid her round the room by pulling her hair and you prevented her trying to escape until you stopped and needed to go upstairs to the toilet,' he said.

The victim suffered bruising to her face and body and a 3cm cut.

She also sustained a cut to her hand, but it is believed that was due to smashing a bottle of rum against a window in an effort to escape.

'This was a case of serious violence and we consider it fortunate that her injuries were not more serious,' said the Deputy Bailiff.

He said Le Prevost, who had no similar previous convictions but many for alcohol abuse, had shown little remorse.

'Even when interviewed by probation you maintained that she was the aggressor.

'Sadly, offences of violence between partners in intimate or previously intimate relationships are committed too often.'

He said Le Prevost needed to address his alcohol misuse and recommended him to a prison programme aimed at perpetrators of domestic assault.

Le Prevost will be subject to a supervision order upon his release equivalent to a quarter of his total sentence.

Advocate David Domaille, defending, said that his client, who had been in custody since his arrest after the attack on 18 July, expected a prison sentence.

'Both had consumed a considerable amount of alcohol and my client was more or less drunk.

'Alcohol was a factor in this offence and he does become aggressive when he drinks, especially when people wind him up.

'He is a keen sportsman and played football for the island.'

Counsel asked the court to consider the injuries sustained by his client's victim rather than the amount of blood in the photographs taken of the house, which could have come from the cut after the woman had thrown the bottle.

The pair had been in the Jamaica Inn drinking on the night of the attack and when Le Prevost returned from buying Chinese food, he lashed out.

After her escape, the woman ran to the police station, arriving at 1.45am. Le Prevost was later arrested and charged.