Alcoholic South Yorkshire thug attacked new partner while on bail for punching former girlfriend

Sheffield Crown Court heard on December 21 how Christopher Barrett, aged 40, of The Oval, at Conisbrough, near Rotherham, attacked a former partner and while he was on bail for this offence he attacked a new partner.

Judge Jeremy Richardson QC told Barrett: “You are hard-working and when you are sober you are a perfectly decent fellow. However, you have a problem in life and at 40 it needs addressing.

"You drink far too much. You are an alcoholic and when you are heavily in drink, violence and other crimes eventuate. You must be punished. You understand that situation because you are an intelligent man.”

David Webster, prosecuting, said Barrett had been in a good relationship with the first of the two partners but he became possessive and jealous and was convicted for violence against her and despite some improvements matters deteriorated again.

Mr Webster added that when Barrett had failed to return to his partner’s home she drove to a friend’s house in Mexborough where she found him in bed with another woman.

As Barrett’s partner tried to leave, the defendant locked the door and held her and as they rowed he punched her to the face and she suffered a detached orbit to her eye and needed surgery.

Mr Webster said while Barrett was on bail he attacked a subsequent partner after he had been asking her about her former relationships and after he found a particular photo of her that infuriated him.

Barrett demanded she transfer £1,500 into his account, claiming it was money she owed him in relation to a dog, according to Mr Webster, before he became so infuriated by the photo that he punched her in the face and prodded her and pulled her hair detaching some artificial extensions.

Mr Webster said she slapped Barrett but he pushed her against a wall and as she fled and tried to alert a neighbour she was dragged back into her home.

Construction worker Barrett, who has previous convictions including a battery against the previous partner, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm against the first of the two partners from November 2020, and he also admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and false imprisonment against the second partner from October 2021.

Richard Barradell, defending, said: “He has thrown himself on the mercy of the court and accepts this is unacceptable violence and he has a drink problem.”

Mr Barradell added that after Barrett had been found in bed with another woman he had wanted to explain the situation but he was slapped and he retaliated.

Barrett’s further relationship was also dogged by alcohol, according to Mr Barradell, and when he saw a photo of his partner in her underwear he lost his temper.

Mr Barradell added that Barrett is “ashamed” and “disgusted with himself” and “remorseful” for his actions.

Judge Richardson sentenced Barrett to three years of custody with a seven-year restraining order.

He told him: “You understand the situation because you are an intelligent man. I hope that when you are finally released at that half way point of this sentence you get some help.”