Woman-beater in acid burns threat to ex

COURT HEARS OF ‘CHILLING MESSAGES’

A WOMAN-BEATER from Derby threatened to throw acid in the face of his ex-partner during a chilling series of messages.

Derby Crown Court heard how Dale Riddock also told the victim he would “burn her alive” before turning up at an address in Littleover and attacking her.

The 29-year-old’s sentencing hearing was told how her mother, witnessing the assault, tried to intervene and was assaulted herself as a reward.

And at the time the defendant was the subject of a restraining order after being jailed last year for an offence on the same victim.

Jailing him for 21 months, Judge Jonathan Bennett said: “There were some deeply, deeply unpleasant messages you sent.

“And then what took place on June 31 was extremely unpleasant, it was a powerful assault because at one point you had both the victim and her mother.

“This was a young woman that has already been attacked (by you) and for which you went to prison.

“It was in her house, you went there uninvited and she was vulnerable.”

Rebecca Coleman, prosecuting, said Riddock and the woman had been in a relationship for around three years.

She said in September last year the defendant had been sent to prison for 13 weeks in respect of an assault on her.

Miss Coleman said as part of his punishment for that offence he was handed an indefinite restraining order not to go to her property.

But she said on release Riddock, of Osmaston Road, had gone there, albeit at her request.

Miss Coleman said: “There were multiple minor arguments and on April 11 she told him she no longer wanted him living at the address.

“He began to send her text messages which were of a threatening nature. In fact in one of them he threatened to throw acid over her face.

“On May 14 he telephoned her and said ‘I will burn you alive.’”

Miss Coleman said matters escalated into the two assaults which took place at an address in Littleover, on June 3.

She said she was outside and saw him coming down the street so ran inside but he followed her inside.

Miss Coleman said: “He grabbed her around the neck and threw her down, he kept shouting ‘was it worth it, was it worth it?’

“He mother was present in the living room and tried to intervene and to get him away so he grabbed her around the neck as well. He eventually let go (of the mother) and grabbed her (the daughter) again.”

Miss Coleman said Riddock left but then continued sending threatening messages including one, two days later, which read “if you want a peaceful life don’t f*** with me’”.

The defendant was arrested, charged and then denied what had happened taking the matter to trial and meaning the victims had to relive their ordeals.

He was found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, common assault and breaching a restraining order.

Chris Aspinall, mitigating, said things were “not all one way traffic” in the relationship. He said: “After his last release from prison she asked him to go round to the address, she actively encouraged him to breach the restraining order.

“This is a young lady that has taken a measured approach that the person she has a restraining order out against she wants in her life.”

As well as jailing Riddock, Judge Bennett handed him a fresh restraining order until further order.