Woman feared partner would kill her in attack

AWOMAN was so frightened of her abusive boyfriend that she thought he might kill her during a violent attack in her home. Christopher Cozens, 37,

pushed, punched, and pressed his thumbs into his girlfriend’s eyes after working himself up into a drunken rage.

Police were called to the address in Paignton after a neighbour heard a woman screaming and shouting ‘help, help’.

When they arrived they found she had managed to flee the house. She told them Cozens had beaten her so badly she feared he might kill her.

Cozens, of Nelson Road in Brixham, pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm when he appeared at Exeter Crown Court.

The court was told he had a history of violence against women and posed a risk to people he was in a relationship with.

Prosecutor Gordon Richings said the offence happened on June 28.

Cozens elbowed her to the eye and then punched her. A neighbour said the assault lasted an hour. Cozens’ brother Craig was downstairs but left saying he wasn’t getting involved, said Mr Richings.

During the assault he hit her with a picture frame, grabbed her and sat on top of her. She was left with bruising, cuts, swelling, and soreness.

The defendant also pleaded guilty to possessing a disguised firearm, namely a taser that looked like a torch.

He said he found it down the back of his sofa and did not know who it belonged to.

Cozens said he was a heavy drinker who had been stressed at the time and was being threatened with eviction.

The court was told he faced a minimum five years for the stun gun offence. But Judge David Evans said it would be unjust to trigger that punishment as the weapon had never been used.

The judge said: “Nothing can justify the violence upon her. “You used your thumbs in an attempt to push her eyes into their sockets and she screamed out in pain. ”

The judge jailed Cozens for two years and nine months.