‘Shocking’ Man hit partner for way she washed his jumper
AMAN punched his partner and spat at her because she had “washed his jumper incorrectly”, a court heard.
Eric Pearce, who was under the influence of drugs, then punched a hole in a door at the woman’s home.
She told him to leave and he did so – taking her car without her consent, Gloucester Crown Court was told.
Caitlin Evans, prosecuting, said Pearce, 25, of Pates Avenue, St Peter’s, Cheltenham, said on March 28 last year Pearce “got himself worked up about things” and went into the bathroom and told her off for washing his jumper incorrectly.
“Pearce then punched the woman in the back of her head and when she turned around he told her, ‘This is what you caused,’ and followed this up by spitting directly in her face and eyes,” said Ms Evans.
“Following this assault, the woman told Pearce to leave, at which he swore at her and punched at a door, causing a hole in it. Pearce then leaves the property, but a short while later the woman notices that the keys to her Vauxhall Astra had gone and realises that her vehicle had also gone missing.
“The woman reports the vehicle as being stolen to the police. About two hours later, Pearce returns in the vehicle and starts shouting at the woman and tells her that if she doesn’t open the door he would kick it off.
“The woman phones the police again and is advised not to answer the door. Meanwhile, Pearce finds a ladder and uses it to climb into the property via an upstairs window. The woman leaves by the front door just as the police arrive.
“The police detain Pearce and search the vehicle, in which a small bag of cannabis is found. The fingerprints on the bag match that of an associate of Pearce, who was also given a drugs swipe and found to be over the limit for cannabis. He didn’t have a driving licence and no insurance for the vehicle.”
The court was told the woman replaced her car over the next few weeks. She was driving the new vehicle on April 20 when she saw Pearce behind her on a moped. He followed her before driving into the passenger door in a supermarket car park and having an altercation with her.
Ms Evans said that between July 16 and 29 last year Pearce mounted a campaign of harassment of the woman over social media and by text messages.
Ieuan Callaghan, defending, said: “Effectively, he reacted badly after an argument. He reacted poorly and immaturely under the circumstances.”
He said Pearce’s situation had now stabilised.
Pearce had been found guilty after a trial of criminal damage, assault causing actual bodily harm, taking a vehicle without consent, driving with no licence or valid insurance, driving under the influence of drugs and breaching a suspended sentence order.
He was also found guilty after a second trial of using threatening and abusive behaviour towards the woman and harassing her.
Judge Michael Cullum said Pearce had “a long list” of previous convictions and was subject to a two-year suspended sentence for burglary and theft.
He described the assault on the woman as “shocking” and sentenced Pearce to 10 months’ jail for the recent offences and implemented eight months of the suspended sentence, bringing his total custodial term to 18 months. Pearce was also banned from driving for 12 months – to begin on the day of his release from prison.