A man stamped on his girlfriend's face and broke her jaw leaving the woman with permanent nerve damage, a court has heard. The alarm was raised by a member of the public who called at the block of flats where Jolyon Smith lived, and saw blood splattered on a front door.
Sending Smith to prison, a judge told him his behaviour had been "shameful and utterly despicable", and his attack had caused his victim "sickening injuries".
Swansea Crown Court heard that on the evening of August 2020 Smith's partner went to Bush Tavern in Pembroke Dock expecting to meet the defendant but he was not there. Megan Jones, prosecuting, said the woman took a taxi to Smith's flat, and once at the property an argument broke out between the pair.
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The court heard Smith took the cigarette the woman was smoking and used it to burn her arm before pushing her to the floor and stamping on her face. Miss Jones said such was the nature of the assault the victim thought her partner was trying to kill her. The police became aware of what was happening in the flat when a visitor to the block rang 999 to report seeing fresh blood dripping on a door.
The court heard the victim suffered a broken jaw which required reconstructive surgery and the insertion of metal plates and screws. A statement before the court said the victim still has no feeling in her lower jaw.
Jolyon Smith, aged 43, of Meyrick Street, Pembroke Dock, Pembroke, had previously pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent on the day he was due to stand trial when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has two previous convictions for two offences, both of a dissimilar nature - driving with excess alcohol, and failing to surrender to custody. The court heard that while he has no convictions for domestic violence police had been called to his address on a number of occasions following concerns raised, and he was made subject to a Domestic Violence Protection Order in 2020. Read about a man with a history of punching and throttling partners who has been jailed for latest attack.
Jon Tarrant, for Smith, said it was accepted both parties had consumed drink and drugs on the day in question, and that their relationship had been described as a "toxic" one. He said due to his alcoholism the defendant had found it difficult coming to terms with the seriousness of what he had done but he said with the support of his family his client was addressing his problem. The advocate added that "with the cloud of alcoholism lifted", Smith's remorse for what he had done to his partner was palpable.
Recorder Benjamin Blakemore told Smith his behaviour on the evening in question had been "shameful and utterly despicable", leaving his victim with "sickening injuries". The recorder said the defendant had refused to accept responsibility for what he had done until the day his trial was due to start and his victim had arrived at court to give evidence - he said Smith's plea entered on that day was "entered for self-interest, not out of remorse" and he noted the defendant had maintained his innocence to the author of the pre-sentence report where he claimed he had been acting in self-defence. The recorder said the appropriate sentence after trial would have been one of four years and three months in prison - with a 10 per cent discount for the defendant's guilty that was reduced to 46 months in prison. Smith will serve up to half that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.
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