‘You are a disgrace to men’ Chairman of magistrates blasts man who grabbed female colleague by throat

AMAN grabbed a female work colleague by the throat and tried to kiss her, later telling her: “I thought some girls liked that?”

Thomas Wyland turned on the woman after insisting he walk her home from their work Christmas night out in Southport.

The 24-year-old insisted despite her saying she was OK to leave on her own, after the drinks in a resort bar on December 5 last year.

On the walk, Wyland suddenly grabbed her by the throat and pushed her head against the wall. He began squeezing her throat and tried to kiss her, South Sefton Magistrates’ Court heard.

The woman pushed Wyland off and he slapped her across the head. The victim began to cry, managed to escape and ran all the way home.

Wyland, of Scarisbrick Street, Southport, messaged her afterwards via Facebook and apologised.

She asked him why he had done it and he said that “some girls liked that kind of treatment”.

The Crown Prosecution Service said Wyland “said he was sorry that he had got it wrong”.

Two weeks later, he went to Southport police station for an interview and told officers that the victim was an attractive woman and he must have misread the situation. He was later charged with assault.

The woman said the assault “left me physically sick” with “bruising to her neck and soreness to her head”.

In a Victim Personal Statement, she said that the assault had really affected her life. It had damaged her relationship with her partner and made her want to give up her job, which she had previously enjoyed for eight years.

Thomas Wyland told the court that he had resigned from the company.

He was given an eight-week jail term, suspended for 12 months, after pleading guilty.

He was also given a community order which states he must do 20 days of a rehabilitation activity and be supervised by the Probation Service for 12 months.

A restraining order was also imposed which means he must not contact the victim in any way for three years. He must also pay her £620 in compensation.

Associate prosecutor Angela Blackmore, of CPS Mersey Cheshire, said: “This case highlights the issues that women often have to face and that are very much in the news at the moment.

“Thomas Wyland told the victim that he would walk her home to protect her, even though she had said she was fine. She agreed, thinking he was being nice. In fact, he became the threat on that walk home.

“Mr Wyland told her later that he believed some women liked this sort of behaviour. Which woman would choose to have her throat grabbed, her head thrown against a wall and be slapped?

“The chairman of the magistrates described Wyland as ‘a disgrace to men’.

“His actions on that night have deeply affected his victim. Thankfully she reported the incident to the police.

“The Crown Prosecution Service would like to say to all victims of this kind of behaviour, it is not acceptable, it is a crime and should not go unpunished. Report it, call it out and we will bring the perpetrators to justice.”