Leeds thug called girlfriend ‘lazy’ and beat her after she asked him to …

A violent brute punched his girlfriend “around ten times”[1] and called her lazy after she asked him to look after their children while she was sick. James Smith, 39, turned on the woman at their home in Whinmoor, Leeds, and called her a “fat s***” after following her up to their bedroom on September 19 this year. Prosecutor Joseph Bell told Leeds Crown Court[2] on Friday: “They were in a relationship that went on for around six years and have a four-year-old child and she [the victim] already had a nine-year-old child from a previous relationship.

“The complainant had been out with her son and father and came home around 4.30pm. She didn’t feel well and went to the bedroom. The defendant followed her and laid on the bed next to her and she asked him to look after the children while she rested.

“He began to call her lazy and an argument followed.” The woman was on her phone to her friend at the time as Smith began to question her and call her a “fat s***,” “lazy” and “damaged goods.” Mr Bell said: “He said he had been suspicious of her since they had separated previously. “He eventually grabbed some bracelets she was wearing and threw them towards her.

He worked to be on top of her. He pushed a number of items from the bedside table on the floor and threw items on the floor. He picked up a lamp and threw it towards the window.

She tried to sort out the mess he was making and told him to leave. “He came to her, took the lamp from her, threw it away, pushed her onto the bed and repeatedly punched her to the right hand side of the face. She said he did it around ten times but was unsure exactly how many.”

The court[4] heard that every time Smith punched the woman to the right hand side of her face, she covered it and he instead punched the other side. Eventually, he gave up and “walked away.” Mr Bell said: “She waited for him to leave and her friend was still listening into what was going on. The complainant went to go get her children and waited for help.

She said her children aged four and nine were incredibly stressed at the sight of her injuries.”

Leeds Crown Court

It was said that the woman received treatment and it was at first thought she had suffered a bleed to the brain but she fortunately had not. She suffered a bruise to her cheek, swelling and a hard lump under the surface of her skin. In a victim impact statement summarised to the court, the woman described the mental scars “being worse.” Mr Bell said: “She says she is frightened of him and his temper and what may happen in the future.

She is in fear of him and doesn’t want any communication with him. It has affected her life in many ways and she is unable to sleep. “Her children have been more clingy with her and want to sleep with her often.

She says it is difficult trusting people…She is worried it will normalise violent behaviour to the children.” The court heard Smith had 24 previous convictions for 39 offences including six for violent offences and nine for public order matters. It also heard from a probation service officer who said in a stand down report he “expressed remorse” but said: “However he has evidenced a displacing of responsibility in terms of the offence, stating the victim attacked him initially.”

The probation officer described Smith’s history as a “entrenched pattern of violent behaviours” and said he “presents a high risk or harm to known adults, the public and children at this time.” Mitigating, Satpal Roth-Sharma, said he is struggling with his epilepsy while remanded into prison. She said he pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and admitted the offence in his police interview.

Ms Roth-Sharma said: “He is now ready to commit to courses such as the Building Better Relationships rehabilitation days and anything that would support him to change as a person. He realises he has anger management issues and he presented a display of regret and remorse at the police station. “He said, ‘She’s the mother of my children.’ His history is appalling and he knows that he is about to enter a new term of his life, a new decade and he wants to put this behind him and he realises he needs the support to do that and he can’t do that on his own.”

LeedsLive has launched a WhatsApp community and anyone who joins will get the latest breaking news and top stories sent direct to their phone. To join click here[5]. If you don’t like our community, you can leave any time.

We also treat members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. Read our privacy notice here[6]. His Honour Judge Khokhar jailed Smith for two years and made him the subject of a 10-year restraining order and said: “He has previous convictions for violence and public order offences. They tend to take place when someone with a short fuse can’t tolerate a situation and that is what he suffers from.

“I can see he could benefit from such help but these offences are so serious that only a custodial sentence can be justified.

Such programmes available outside may not be in the same sort of category but there are programmes available in the custodial environment that if he wishes to change his ways he can participate in and benefit from.”

The judge told Smith: “My advice is to you would be that you’re a relatively young man and if you want to have a relationship with any female then you have to change your ways.”

References

1. ^ punched his girlfriend “around ten times” (www.leeds-live.co.uk)
2. ^ Leeds Crown Court (www.leeds-live.co.uk)
3. ^ Moment Leeds bus goes up in flames after suspected arson attack (www.leeds-live.co.uk)
4. ^ court (www.leeds-live.co.uk)
5. ^ here (www.leeds-live.co.uk)
6. ^ Read our privacy notice here (www.reachplc.com)