Sandiacre man launched ‘frenzied and brutal’ attack on second mum over French Bulldog pups

A 25-year-old man carried out "a frenzied and brutal attack" on a woman he called his second mother after forcing his way into her home. Nottingham Crown Court [1] heard how the victim, who has known Neeson Mrvick since he was aged just four "thought she would die" at his hands as he rained down punches. During the beating, which began when the defendant climbed in through a living room window, she said he "felt like she was drowning" as he straddled her. In a victim impact statement, the woman told how she has resigned from her job, lost friends and is now moving home because of the ongoing trauma she still feels more than 18 months after Mrvick attacked her.

Now he faces an eight-week wait to see whether or not he will be sent to prison for the first time in his life. Adjourning the case, Judge Nigel Godsmark KC said:[2] "It seems to me the defendant can be violent impulsively without any obvious trigger and that worries me. Mr Mrvick you will have heard I am a bit worried about you.

"I am worried about what you have done, I am worried about the sentence that will be passed upon you and I want to see if there's any help you can get that can be given to you. I am making no promises as to what will happen but you need help." Abigail Hill, prosecuting, said the background to the assault involved the victim selling two French Bulldog puppies to Mrvick's family for GBP2,000.

She said after receiving GBP1,500 of the cash, the seller became concerned about their welfare so she collected the dogs, took them home and arranged a vet's appointment. But on June 21, 2022, the defendant's mother called her asking for the dogs and the victim offered her the money back. The prosecutor said later the same day, Mrvick arrived at her home in Sycamore Crescent, Sandiacre.[3]

Mrs Hill said: "He asked for the dogs back saying 'you have been like a second mum to me, please' desperate to get the dogs back and then leaned in through the window, stroked another dog and then launched himself at the victim. It was a brutal attack, she felt the defendant on top of her and said she felt like she was drowning. "He pinned her down to the point she almost lost consciousness, she thought the defendant was going to kill her." The prosecutor said that after the assault ended, the police [4] were called and the victim was taken to the Queen's Medical Centre where she underwent a CT scan.

She said that revealed a fracture to the spine, a broken nose, a broken front tooth, and a swollen jaw and eye socket. The woman also had tenderness to her abdomen and stomach area. The victim said that following the attack she had to bolster her home security, resigned from her job and no longer wanted to go out.

She had to go to counselling and received a formal diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Mrvick, of Sudbury Avenue, Sandiacre, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and has no previous convictions of any kind. Lucia Harrington, mitigating, said her client has autism and a condition called intermittent explosive disorder which means the defendant, in the words of the judge, "can go pop" at any moment without any provocation.

Arguing that the inevitable custodial sentence should be suspended, she said: "It was a spontaneous and short-lived, but frenzied, attack but there is no indication from the complainant how long the attack lasted.

It was more frenzied than prolonged."

Mrvick will be sentenced on March 20.

References

^ Nottingham Crown Court (www.nottinghampost.com)
^ Judge Nigel Godsmark KC said: (www.nottinghampost.com)
^ in Sycamore Crescent, Sandiacre. (www.nottinghampost.com)
^ police (www.nottinghampost.com)