Cider-binge thug ripped out his girlfriend’s hair
A DRUNK thug who pulled out his girlfriend’s hair and dragged her around the room in a violent attack has been jailed.
Michael Smith, 38, attacked the woman in the living room of her friend’s house, kicking her to the face and body after drinking seven cans of Strongbow cider.
Clumps of her hair were pulled out and she was left with major bruising and swelling to her forehead, Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard.
The woman, now his ex-partner, was unable to fight him off until she was helped by her two friends.
She fled from Smith before spending the night in her car as she was ‘scared of him coming after her.’
After two days the woman returned to the flat they shared, believing he had gone, but the police were called by neighbours after they discovered he was still there.
Smith, from Bury, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was sentenced to 12 months in jail. Prosecutor Chloe Fordham told the court that the couple had been in a relationship for eight months when the woman moved into Smith’s flat.
Ms Fordham said: “On July 26, 2019, Smith was arrested for assaulting the woman and appeared in the magistrates court the next day and pleaded not guilty.”
Smith was given bail not to contact the woman, but they got back in contact and she moved back in with him five days later. When the case was back at court in October, prosecutors offered no evidence and the case was dropped.
Weeks earlier, in August, the victim had had enough of Smith’s ‘aggressive’ behaviour and went to stay at her friend’s house.
Ms Fordham said: “She was there for a couple of hours when Smith turned up and she could tell he had been drinking. He seemed to be in a fairly good mood, so he came in and carried on drinking alcohol.
“She thought he drank about six or seven cans of Strongbow. As the evening drew on, he became argumentative and started an argument with the other occupants.
“Smith then dragged the woman off the sofa by her hair and pulled her around the floor. He started to kick her in the head repeatedly while still wearing his shoes.
“He then punched her to the ribs and head, and she was unable to fight him off or calm him down.”
The court heard that the woman managed to get out.
Two days later, thinking he had left, she returned to the flat. Police were then called by neighbours who believed Smith was still there.
The woman was said to have bruising and swelling to the right side of her forehead and hair had been pulled from her scalp.
There was also bruising to the left hand side of her body.
Smith, of Warth Road, Bury, was said to have previous convictions including grievous bodily harm, criminal damage and assaults.
Hunter Gray, defending, said it was a short-lived relationship and Smith has now accepted that it is over.
Mr Gray said: “He has been in custody since September 6, so if he were sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, he has essentially served almost half of that already.”
Sentencing him to 12 months imprisonment, Judge Bernard Lever said: “This was an unpleasant assault. You did push her to the ground and used force upon her face and body.
“It was significant and sustained. “If you put a foot wrong you will be recalled to prison – put this matter behind you.”