Thug threatened to ‘kick baby out’ of attack victim
BRUTE TRIED TO STRANGLE PREGNANT PARTNER IN FIT OF RAGE
A VIOLENT brute has been jailed after he tried to strangle his pregnant partner and threatened to “kick their baby out of her”.
Connor Bowern was in a drunken rage when he launched the attack in front of their six-month-old son.
After slapping, hitting and punching the terrified victim, the 25-year-old bully put his hands around her neck and squeezed so hard she thought she was going to die, Newcastle Crown Court was told.
The assault started in a taxi after a family gathering and continued inside his girlfriend’s Blyth home until she managed to flee and ask a neighbour to phone the police.
The victim was left with pain to her throat, scratches and redness to her neck and a lump on her head.
Bowern, who was living in Blyth at the time but has now moved to Rosehaugh Road, in Inverness, Scotland, was arrested but bailed with conditions that he was not to contact his partner or visit her home.
However, he bombarded the woman with more than 300 messages, some apologising but others threatening, prosecutors said.
Now, Bowern’s shocking behaviour has landed him behind bars after he pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and harassment.
The court heard that on July 15, Bowern and his girlfriend, who was seven weeks pregnant, and their six-monthold son were travelling back in a taxi from a family gathering.
Bowern started taking out his rage at what someone had said or done to him at the party on his partner.
Rachael Glover, prosecuting, said: “The defendant hit the complainant on the back of the her head, causing immediate pain.
“He slapped her across the face and said he was going to take their baby back to Scotland and she would not see him again and told her he would kick their unborn baby out of her.”
The court heard that, when the pair arrived home, the taxi driver offered to call the police but the victim asked him not to.
However, Bowern didn’t calm down and the attack continued inside the house .
Miss Glover continued: “The defendant hit her across the face, causing swelling and redness to the cheek.
“She tried to stop him because she was trying to protect her son but he continued to assault her and hit her on the thigh.
“She managed to put the baby on the sofa and he grabbed her around the throat, squeezing so hard she thought he was going to kill her.”
Bowern eventually released his grip but then attempted to strangle her again, causing a pain, swelling and redness to her throat and neck.
The court was told the brute then threw a photo frame at the terrified victim, which shattered against her leg, and threw objects, including a baby bouncer, around the home, all while threatening to strangle her again.
The woman eventually managed to get outside and tell a neighbour to phone the police.
Bowern was arrested and bailed with conditions not to contact his girlfriend but, within 24 hours, he began bombarding her with texts.
Miss Glover said he sent more than 300 messages, some of which were threatening, between July 16 and 25.
In a statement, the victim said she believed Bowern would kill her and feared for her life and the safety of her child and unborn baby.
Kate Barnes, defending, said Bowern, who has three offences on his record but none for domestic violence, was so appalled by his actions, he’d sought to get cognitive behavioural therapy from his GP.
She added: “He accepts it’s thoroughly deplorable conduct and he’s thoroughly and visibly ashamed when one spoke to him and, what makes it worse is, he’s got no explanation for it.”
Locking him up for 14 months, Recorder Anthony Dunne branded Bowern’s actions “deplorable”.
He said: “[The victim] was vulnerable because she was pregnant. You attempted to strangle her and it was a persistent assault.”
Mr Recorder Dunne added: “Attacking a pregnant woman in the presence of a young child in circumstances where she, effectively, cannot escape – the appropriate punishment can only be achieved by an immediate custodial sentence.”
Bowern was also made subject of an indefinite restraining order banning him from contacting the victim.