‘Cowardly’ assault on GP partner
A MAN punched and kicked his GP girlfriend in a cowardly attack when she tried to treat his bleeding arm.
Russell Crowe, 28, attacked his then partner at her Cardiff home in the early hours of January 17.
Cardiff Crown Court heard the assault took place after Crowe became intoxicated at the Royal British Legion club in Whitchurch and got locked inside when the landlord didn’t notice he was still there.
He was caught on CCTV in the club stealing a bottle of rum from behind the bar and smashing a glass panel on a door in order to escape.
Prosecutor Eugene Egan told a sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday that the defendant and his then partner had gone to the club in Penlline Road on January 16.
After the defendant’s former girlfriend left the club without Crowe, he continued drinking to excess and found himself locked in.
When he smashed the door to break out he cut his arm, which bled profusely. He then made his way to the victim’s home, arriving at 12.30am.
His partner went downstairs to open the door and saw his injury.
Mr Egan said: “She used her medical skills to try and treat him because she was worried about the blood loss but as she did so he punched her to the face and when she fell to the ground he kicked her to the face and body until she felt numb.”
The defendant left the scene in his car but was arrested after being identified on the club’s CCTV.
He later pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, theft and criminal damage.
In her victim personal statement, his ex-partner said she had been significantly affected by the assault and had to take time off work and has trouble sleeping. She also said she had had to deal with the defendant making false accusations against her to her medical body.
Crowe had been sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment, suspended for a year, on January 24 for dangerous driving after driving down the wrong way of a dual carriageway in Fitzalan
Place in Cardiff, but the sentencing judge was unaware of the assault and theft charge at that time.
Defence barrister Hilary Roberts said his client recognised his behaviour must change and said Crowe had a “troubled childhood” and frequently turned to drink to cope with bereavement.
Judge Jeremy Jenkins said he would not be sending Crowe to prison, because the new offence did not constitute a breach of the dangerous driving matter.
He added: “You completely went well in excess of any form of self defence and you beat her black and blue literally.
“Had I been dealing with you simply for these matters you would have gone straight into prison for 15 months. It was a serious and cowardly assault.”
Crowe, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to 13 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 15 months.
He also remains subject to the dangerous driving suspended sentence and will be required to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work and a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.