Yob attacked girlfriend in post office
AVIOLENT thug who repeatedly punched his girlfriend at a Post Office in front of ‘frightened’ staff and customers has been jailed.
Aaron Walsh attacked the victim inside Rishton Post Office by getting her in a headlock and punching her to the face.
Burnley Crown Court heard how the 20-year-old was subject to a suspended jail sentence at the time for burglary and handling stolen goods convictions.
Walsh, of Spring Street, Rishton, pleaded guilty to common assault and breaching a suspended sentence order and was jailed for five months.
Prosecutor Jack Troup said the assault happened at around 1.40pm on January 30 this year.
The court heard how his partner was inside the High Street building when Walsh entered in an ‘agitated’ state and was shouting at her and the staff.
Mr Troup said: “He grabbed [the victim] by her hair, pulled her to the floor, grabbed her in a headlock and punched her to the face. It was a sustained assault and happened in a very public place with witnesses.”
Walsh then fled the post office after staff called the police. When officers arrived the victim said she was punched ‘repeatedly’ by Walsh but suffered no physical injuries. She declined to give a statement to police.
Mr Troup said Walsh, who has 25 previous convictions including offences of battery, ABH and robbery, had also breached a 15-month suspended jail sentence by failing to attend two probation appointments in October and November last year.
Walsh told the probation service that he had ‘deteriorating mental health’ and was unable to leave his house ‘due to intense paranoia’.
Matthew Howarth, defending, said Walsh had shown ‘genuine contrition and remorse’ and deserved credit for his early guilty plea.
He told the court that it was an ‘ act of recklessness’ and there was no premeditation.
Sentencing, Judge Beverley Lunt said: “It was a nasty assault on your girlfriend in a post office, a public place. It’s a frightening thing for other people to watch happening as well.
“It was at a time when you were subject to a suspended sentence and not attending probation when you were supposed to.
“You have to be sentenced for that. I’m going to activate the suspended sentence but not the full 15 months.”