Man’s ‘vicious’ attack on lone shopkeeper
AMAN attacked a female shopkeeper who was alone at her workplace at the time. The vicious attack saw Jason Frederick Clarke punch the victim Kayleigh Robins so hard that it knocked her off her feet, before he continued to rain down punches and kicks as she laid helpless on the floor.
Miss Robins had been working at a store in Aberavon at the time, and was preparing to close up at the end of the day.
Swansea Crown Court heard how Clarke had been involved in a dispute with the victim over property in the past, and entered the store on July 1 at 9.10pm as she was cashing up before carrying out the attack.
During the incident, he yelled at her, speaking of his intention to cause damage to her face, using expletive language, while she begged for him to stop.
Her face was left full of blood, and she she hid in an aisle of the store.
Clarke was arrested later that evening, and he told officers he had consumed half a bottle of vodka, along with Budweiser and Stella prior to the incident, which he was shown CCTV of.
On reviewing the footage, he expressed his remorse, and blamed his alcohol consumption.
Clarke appeared before Swansea Crown Court having admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm. It was heard the 37-year-old has 15 previous convictions on his record for 33 offences.
A victim impact statement read out on behalf of Miss Robins heard she now has “constant pain” in her face and head, and is “embarrassed to leave the house” because of the injuries she
has sustained, which includes severe bruising to her right eye, various bumps and bruises and cuts inside her bottom lip.
She has since quit her job as she no longer feels safe at her workplace, the court heard.
Mitigating, Andrew Evans said: “The defendant concedes and accepts his conduct at the victim’s place of work on that night was abhorrent and unacceptable. He had been made redundant at the time and had received terrible news about his cousin’s medical condition. He also had accommodation difficulties.
“He has had time to reflect on his behaviour whilst in custody and his appalling actions that night, and the impact not just on him but his partner, who is expecting their child.”
Judge Geraint Walters, sentencing Clarke, said: “The facts of this case are thoroughly disturbing. The victim was working alone at her place of employment at a time the shop was about to be closed. You went to the shop and delivered an almighty punch to her causing her to fall backwards onto the floor.
“You punched her several times and kicked her several times as she lay on the ground trying to defend herself.
“This was a vicious, unprovoked attack on a defenceless woman at her place of work. I’m wholly astonished.”
Clarke, of John Street, Aberavon, was jailed for 20 months. An indefinite restraining order has also been issued forbidding him to go near the victim directly or indirectly.