A mum-of-two "thought she was going to die" after she was battered in her own home by a violent thug when she asked him to get her phone charger.
Sean Probert, 38, had returned to "the dating game" – and his former alcohol habit – and inflicted "monstrous savagery" on his new partner. The violence flared when the unnamed woman asked the thug to get her phone charger, to which he replied "What am I, your f****** butler?".
Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday, Wednesday, December 13 that Probert and his victim, 41, began dating in April this year, with the violence erupting on June 2. Probert, from Rochdale, arrived at his victim's home in Walton agitated and not his usual self. The court was told by prosecutor Nardeen Nemat that the defendant argued with a shop assistant before he went out for drinks with the victim.
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When they returned to her home they drank some more and listened to music on her mobile phone. But violence started when the victim's mobile phone battery drained to 2%. Ms Nemat told the court: "She asked the defendant if he would obtain her mobile phone charger, which she had left upstairs.
"The defendant responded back aggressively saying, ‘What am I your f****** butler?’ If you want a ‘bell***’ or butler go and find one, because I’m not a butler for you.' The defendant then proceeded to push her, she pushed him back and screamed at him to get out. She then recalls being on the floor.
"Whilst on the floor the defendant punched her repeatedly to the face and head. She was screaming and pleading for him to stop, she tried to put her hands over her head to protect herself, but the defendant continued to punch her hard.
"She describes how she could see stars and thought she was going to die. The pain was excruciating, and she lost consciousness. When she woke up she was covered in blood and the defendant was gone."
She was treated at hospital for numerous lacerations to her face, two black eyes, bruising and swelling and a broken nose. She has been left suffering from PTSD. The Manchester Evening News reported that a victim impact statement said she is suffering from anxiety and depression and no longer goes daily to a gym.
The statement added: "He has broken my and my children’ hearts. We had been planning future holidays and I planned a long term future." She said that while on the floor "I thought I was going to die."
In mitigation, defence barrister James Heyworth said Probert, who has 22 previous convictions for 47 offences including assault and affray, "must hang his head in shame". He has no convictions for violence since 2004 and has a 13-year-old son with a previous long-term partner. On the day of the incident “something inside him snapped”, Mr Heyworth said.
Probert, of Crosby Street, Rochdale, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm at the lower court. Recorder Richard Conley said the victim had suffered injuries that would leave anyone seeing them to feel ”upset and perhaps even physically sick.”
He said: “You punched her on countless occasions, at one stage causing her to lose consciousness, leaving her bruised and battered in a place where she should have expected to be safe.” The judge added he was surprised the prosecution had accepted the lesser charge which Probert had accepted and described it as one of the "more extreme examples of that offence".
Sentencing Probert to two-and-a-half years in prison, Recorder Conley said: "It is somewhat ironic that it is your return to the dating game that prompted you to return to drink again. That should be a lesson that it is something you should not repeat ever again." The judge also imposed a 10 year restraining order.
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