Shaun Riley, 26, of Skins Lane, St Peter Port, had maintained not guilty pleas for nine months to three counts of assaulting his then partner before changing them on the eve of his trial. He admitted causing criminal damage to her mobile phone from the outset.
In his sentencing remarks, Judge Marc Davies said the defendant had exerted controlling and violent behaviour against the woman which would have long-lasting effects on her. His only response had been to say that it was nothing to do with him, so his denials, in the context of his offending, were not surprising.
The court was told that in late January 2024 the couple were living in a hotel. The woman went to a restaurant for a works event which she told police always caused an argument. Afterwards they went to a nearby pub. The defendant turned up at the pub and confronted the woman before smashing her mobile phone against a wall outside.
A couple of days later they were sitting on a bed discussing the previous incident. She was upset because she did not have a phone. When she said something Riley did not agree with, he punched her in the face and she fell to the floor and curled up into a foetal position to protect herself. He kicked her in the shin.
Later the same year and during an argument, he put his hands around the woman’s throat, which caused bruising, and put his legs across her so she could not get up off the sofa. She was unable to breath and he called her names as he did it. The woman said she was terrified.
In the final incident, in March last year, the woman had gone out with friends and had not told him what she was doing because she was too scared. Later he challenged her about where she had been.
He said he had looked through her phone, checked her bank details and knew she had gone to Folies nightclub. He pinned her down but when the woman escaped into the bathroom, he threw her mobile phone at her which struck her on the head. She screamed for help and he stopped her from leaving the flat. She hid behind a sofa and dialled 999 at which point he left the premises. He was arrested later the same day.
Defending, Advocate Chris Green said his client was a qualified roofer and was confident he would gain employment again when these proceedings were over. He paid his way in life and there was nothing on his record for domestic violence.
Judge Davies said the defendant had strangled the woman to the point of terror and, just for good measure, had called her the most appalling names.
He had also punished her because she had had the temerity to try and lead an independent life.
She had been begging him not to damage her phone but he had thrown it in her face. He would not allow her to leave the room but did so as soon as he knew the police were on the way.
Riley’s guilty pleas had come the day before trial and she would have been dreading having to give evidence.
Riley was also ordered to pay the woman £671 in compensation for a medical bill and the replacement of her phone.
The prosecution’s application for a Domestic Abuse Protection Order to be put in place was granted.