South Yorkshire teen 'kicked pregnant ex-partner in the head'

Reece Taylor told the woman "Don't you ever speak to me like s*** again," before grabbing her by the throat and squeezing, at her home, on June 8, said prosecutor Matthew Bean.

"She began to cry and asked him what she had done wrong," he said. "He asked for a cup of tea but she spilt some on the floor and as she bent to clean it up he kicked her in the head.

"He said she deserved it because of the way she treated him."

Later, he grabbed and pinched her stomach and put his hand over her mouth hard enough to injure her lip.

The next day Taylor called her while she was being monitored in Barnsley District Hospital and repeatedly asked her to drop the charges.

"He told her: "When you get out of hospital I'm going to break your legs,"" said Mr Bean.

He appeared in court on June 10 for possession of blade and received a suspended sentence, having been put on a community order for theft on May 15.

Taylor had repeatedly called her mobile and work phone and threatened her on May 13.

"Afterwards he went to her home and told her to retract her complaint.” said Mr Bean. "She told the police she didn't want to support the prosecution because she was concerned about the health of the unborn baby.”

Taylor has a "persistent and troubling" record with convictions dating back to 2016 that include common assault and criminal damage.

Richard Barradell said Taylor's youth and immaturity were powerful mitigating factors.

"He had a terrible time in care for 11 years. He finds it difficult to trust anyone in positions of authority.”

Taylor, 19, of Campion Close, Bolton-Upon-Dearne, Rotherham, pleaded guilty to two counts of intending to pervert the course of justice, harassment, breach of court orders, two counts of assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Judge Roger Thomas QC sentenced him to 15 months in a Young Offenders’ Institution and imposed a three-year restraining order.

Read the latest cases from Sheffield Crown Court here.

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