Violent boyfriend Tasered

INJURED GIRLFRIEND AND THEN A POLICE OFFICER

POLICE had to Taser a man who had beaten up his girlfriend.

Matthew Liley was arriving home after a night out when he attacked his girlfriend in the back of their Uber.

Liley, 31, strangled the woman and then, after getting out of the taxi, punched her in the face and kicked her while she was on the ground, before taking his anger out on a garden fence and three parked cars in the street, kicking in the vehicles’ side panels and breaking a wing mirror and a door handle.

After the rampage had been going on for about 30 minutes he walked away from the area and phoned police to tell them he had assaulted his girlfriend and that they should arrest him.

Meanwhile, his girlfriend was outside their home suffering from symptoms of concussion, including nausea and confusion, and needed to be taken to hospital.

Police, who had also been called by a worried resident, arrived at Abbey Drive, Ashby, and tried to arrest Liley but as he was approached by a constable he clenched his fists and yelled “come on then” at him.

The officer tried to get Liley’s arm behind his back but Liley got the officer in a headlock.

Another officer fired a Taser at Liley, which also caused the officer in the headlock to feel the effects of the electric current.

Prosecutor Lynsey Knott told Leicester Crown Court: “The defendant got the police constable in a headlock and tightened his grip such that the constable describes struggling to breathe.

“The defendant was Tasered and the constable felt his body stiffening.”

The officer suffered a neck injury and needed a month off work.

Chief Constable Rob Nixon wrote a letter to the judge explaining the consequences for injured officers and their families when they are attacked while at work.

The court heard that Liley, who lives in Abbey Drive, had been in a relationship with the woman since August last year and that the incident happened shortly after midnight on December 16.

Liley later pleaded guilty to two counts of causing actual bodily harm and five counts of criminal damage.

Ms Knott said Liley was due to be charged with grievous bodily harm for the attack on his girlfriend but there was a lack of medical evidence because she refused to let the prosecution have her medical records.

John Hunter, representing Liley, called Liley’s partner to give evidence at the sentencing hearing.

She told the court that at the time of the incident Liley, to whom she is now engaged, had recently come off steroids and had been taking a Chinese medication he had bought online to counter the effects of these and help increase his sperm count so they could have a baby.

The court heard she and Liley had gone to see an Oasis tribute band that night with Liley’s sister and her partner, during which they had been drinking.

Mr Hunter said his client’s actions had been shameful and that Liley described the incident as “one of the worst meltdowns of his life”.

Mr Hunter said the Chinese medication had a “significant negative effect on his behaviour and personality” and that what happened would not be repeated.

He said prison would lead to Liley, who has debts of £26,000, losing his job.

Judge Keith Raynor, sentencing, said the injuries were very serious and that Liley deserved to be jailed.

He said: “You punched her to the face, knocking her down, then kicked her while she was down on the floor.

“She had a very swollen right cheekbone and at times she was sick and confused. I’m satisfied this amounts to serious injuries.”

Liley was jailed for 33 months. He will be released after serving half of the sentence.