Sheffield thug's 'frightening' New Year's Eve attacks on partner
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Anthony Knowles’ partner rang 999 after he began punching her all over her body on New Year’s Eve 2019, prosecutor Tim Savage told Sheffield Crown Court on Thursday.
When he snatched her phone, she ran downstairs and he followed, forcing open the living room door and kicking her in the back, even though she had undergone surgery to her spine two years earlier.
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Hide AdHe ran off before police arrived, but returned to her home days later. On January 6, Knowles began arguing about her former partner, and punched her three times on the side of the face.
Two days later he took hold of her around the nose and mouth and told her he would burn down her house.
She was left with scratches to her back, and bruising and swelling to her face, chest, arms and back.
In a statement, she said: “The mental abuse I have suffered at the hands of Anthony has been worse than the physical violence. I am frightened of who he is and what he might do.”
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Hide AdThe court heard he has 39 previous convictions for 65 offences, including robbery, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and battery, but has kept of trouble since 2016.
Joy Merriam, mitigating, said that Knowles had already served the equivalent of a 12-month prison sentence.
She made no submissions after Judge Rachael Harrison indicated she would impose a six-month jail term.
Knowles, 45, of Moorthorpe Way, Owlthorpe, pleaded guilty to three counts of common assault.
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Hide AdThe judge imposed a five-year restraining order, banning him from contacting the woman.
"If you go near this lady again you will be in breach of the restraining order and you should assume you will go to prison," she told him.
She sentenced him to six months’ imprisonment, which means he was released from custody immediately, and he will be on licence for the next six months.