A thug broke his wife's back in a vicious drunken attack then refused to take her to hospital.
Jonathan Hall repeatedly kicked his partner as she lay defenceless on the floor, continuing to rain down blows even after she pleaded for him to stop. The incident came only weeks after the couple were married, and was followed by two further domestic assaults.
Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday afternoon, Wednesday, that the 47-year-old and his victim Amanda Lomax had been in a relationship for around six years before being wed in September last year. But her mum refused to attend the ceremony as she was "appalled at the prospect" of him marrying her daughter, with their romance having been marred by a troubled history.
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Police had been called to their house in Warrington "on several occasions", including once in 2019 when Hall allegedly broke her elbow - although he never faced criminal charges in relation to this accusation. The joiner was handed a non-molestation order banning him from contacting Ms Lomax during 2020 - a court order which he later breached - and a domestic violence protection order imposed similar restrictions for a short period in May 2021.
On October 16, the couple had been drinking at home. The complainant was lying on the floor when Hall began repeatedly kicking her to the lower back.
Ms Lomax "pleaded for him to stop and feared she was going to die". But his attack continued, and only stopped when he heard her back "click".
While she wanted to go to hospital, Hall "said she would be ok" and refused to take her. Ms Lomax's pain continued though, and she did eventually attend for treatment the following day.
There, it was found that she had fractured a vertebra in her spine and broken five ribs. She spent nine days in hospital and had to wear a back brace 12 hours a day for 12 weeks, and remains in pain nearly a year later.
But Ms Lomax "lied to police and friends" and said she suffered her injuries after falling down the stairs. On July 11 this year, the pair had again been consuming alcohol when an argument erupted and Hall punched her in the shoulder.
Ten days later, another drunken argument "turned violent" and he began repeatedly striking her in the head. When Ms Lomax called her mother reporting the assault, she "pleaded with her" to leave the address.
At this, the mum was told "he won't let me" - while she also overheard Hall shouting at her daughter and ordering her to give him her credit cards. She was left with a black eye and bruising to her cheeks and arms following this third assault.
In a statement which was read out to the court on her behalf by prosecutor Ben Berkson, Ms Lomax described how she suffers from "constant pain every day". She also had to quit her job working in a café as a result.
Hall, from Padgate, has 12 previous convictions for 19 offences - including for affray, assault, drink driving, drunk and disorderly behaviour and "dishonesty". He was also convicted of harassment against a former partner in 2016, for which he received a community order.
Mark Lever, defending, told the court his client had been working as a cleaner while remanded in custody awaiting sentence and has undertaken courses in maths and English. He added: "Alcohol underpins this offence and his previous offending.
"He does have a limited record for violence. In custody, he has had time to reflect on his behaviour and the impact on his wife.
"He tells me he is ashamed of his behaviour and regrets what happened. He has little recollection of the serious offence due to the amount of alcohol he had consumed."
Hall admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent and two counts of assault and, appearing via video link to HMP Altcourse, was jailed for two years and three months. He was also handed a restraining order preventing him from contacting Ms Lomax or entering her street indefinitely, and was told to pay a victim surcharge.
Sentencing, Recorder Kevin Slack said: "It would appear there was a history of violence in that relationship. The victim's mother states that she was so appalled at the prospect of you marrying her that she refused to attend the wedding.
"She was right to be concerned, because within a few weeks you gratuitously attacked Ms Lomax in the family home. It seems alcohol lies behind your violent behaviour.
"She pleaded with you to stop, but you continued. The force was so strong that she feared she was going to die.
"The physical pain continues, but so does the psychological trauma which resulted from your attack upon her. You do at least recognise that alcohol abuse fuels the anger you seem to be unable to control in your relationships.
"Verbal abuse tipped over into physical abuse of the most serious kind. I hope the sentence I am about to pass will give you time to reflect on your past behaviour and let you consider how you may change how you are going to conduct yourself in the future for the benefit of yourself and any future partner.
"This was a persistent assault which continue after Ms Lomax pleaded with you to stop. She was lying on the floor, making her vulnerable - you kicked her, using your foot as a weapon."
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