A jealous bully who repeatedly attacked his partner as she slept and even deliberately kicked her on a fractured injured hip leaving her in agony, wept as details of numerous attacks were recounted in court.
His victim had broken her pelvis in three places after falling down stairs five months earlier and knowing this John Scanlon targeted the hip she had fractured by kicking it.
On yet another occasion Scanlon grabbed her around the throat and the terrified woman feared she would die at his hands.
She took photographs of her facial injuries after one assault but he deleted them but after she again went to the police he was arrested and they were able to recover the incriminating images.
Scanlon today (Tue) wept as Judge David Swinnerton recounted details of his assaults but the judge pointed out that while he accepted Scanlon was remorseful “your pre-sentence reflects someone who doesn’t take full responsibility.”
Liverpool Crown Court heard that despite being arrested after the first two attacks the defendant went on to commit four more assaults on her.
“You were in a relationship with her for three or four years and you expressed in your letter to me how you both had your demons,” said Judge Swinnerton.
“You had yours with alcohol and the use of cocaine. She had her demons in relation to alcohol. Perhaps it was a toxic relationship where you were not very good for each other.”
He said that fuelled by alcohol and drugs Scanlon “behaved in a jealous, nasty and bullying way towards her.”
He pointed out that when he was strangling her “you knew that must have been terrifying for her but it only takes a second to kill someone. It is a huge risk you took using that level of violence.”
Scanlon, aged 37 of Gainsborough Road, Latchford, Warrington, was jailed for 20 months and a ten-year restraining order was imposed.
Iain Criddle, prosecuting, had told the court that the first offence took place on December 16 last year after Scanlon, 38, woke her up. He had moved into her home the previous month.
“He jumped onto the bed, pinned her down by the wrists and made a fist and pretended to punch her in the face but stopped before contact was made.”
The 50-year-old victim suffered bruising to her arms as she did four days later when he again woke her up and straddled her, pinning her down by her upper arms.
“He accused her of cheating and bizarrely having a cannabis farm in the loft,” said Mr Criddle. He was arrested on December 23.
In May the couple stayed in a London Hilton hotel as Scanlon went to see his dying grandfather. Scanlon went out drinking with his uncle and when he returned she was awoken by him deliberately kicking her on her previously fractured hip.
The following night he came in and woke her up by straddling her and putting his hands around her throat.
“She did not lose consciousness but struggled to breathe and became lightheaded.”
The same evening he grabbed her face with one hand and punched her with the other. “She took photographs of the injuries which he subsequently deleted but they were recovered by the police,” said Mr Criddle.
On June 21 she was asleep at her home when he grabbed hold of her arms and pushed her into the bed.
Mr Criddle said that there was no doubt that the victim had suffered psychologically because of the violence at his hands.
Scanlon pleaded guilty to five offences of assault by beating and one of strangulation.
Jim Smith, defending, said that Scanlon, who has previous convictions including domestic violence involving another partner, has been on remand in custody and served the equivalent of a nine-month sentence.
He said he has never had a rehabilitative order from a court and was on anti-depressants.
