Carer who strangled and beat vulnerable woman during vodka-fuelled attack in Blackpool jailed
A registered carer has been jailed for beating up the woman he was looking after.
Stuart Montgomery admitted carrying out a vicious assault on the lady who had mental health issues and trying to throttle her after a boozy session at the house they shared in Blackpool.
A court was told the 38-year-old had called the woman a “retard”, punched her numerous times, spat in her face, head-butted her and squeezed his hands round her throat for almost two minutes.
It was later claimed she attempted to take her own life with an overdose of epilepsy medication mixed with vodka, but she recovered.
And even though it was said she was now willing to forgive him – the pair had previously been in a three-year relationship – a judge insisted an immediate prison sentence was the only fitting punishment.
Montgomery, of Raikes Parade, Blackpool, pleaded guilty at Preston Crown Court to charges of assault causing actual bodily harm and intentional strangulation.
The court heard that the pair had been drinking heavily until the early hours of April 17 and had drunk a bottle of vodka each. An argument had erupted over the amount Montgomery had consumed. The anger turned to violence, and he punched her in the face several times causing bruising to her eyes and a burst lip.
She managed to push him away, but he spat in her face and then head-butted her. The woman made attempts to punch him in self-defence, but he took hold of her by the throat with both hands, exerting pressure for around two minutes before she was able to push him away again.
She later told police that she had “never before seen that look in his eyes”. She was scared and didn’t know if he was going to stop.
He called her a “retard” and told her she should be “on the special bus”.
She was so upset she told police she took 15 tablets of her epilepsy medication saying she wanted to end her life after what had happened. The attack, she said, had had both a physical and mental impact on her.
Yet the prosecution revealed she had refused to make a victim statement to the court, was not seeking a restraining order against him and in fact wanted to rekindle their former relationship.
Defence barrister Daniel Harman told Recorder Ayesha Siddiqi that when the case was concluded the couple were intending to get back together “and be together for a long period of time”.
“It is a very nasty incident indeed,” he said. “He (Montgomery) should be thoroughly ashamed. He has no recollection of what happened. He and her were both drunk.
“She has said what happened and he has said ‘that’s what must have happened’. He feels absolutely dreadful and disgusted with himself.
“It was a horrible incident, a prolonged, persistent assault. There was punching to the face and (his) hands around her throat.”
But he said that there was no medical evidence to back up her claim that she had attempted suicide after the assault.
Montgomery, he added, was “hopeful they can get back together after this.”
Recorder Siddiqi said: “He was her registered carer. She had mental health difficulties and he had a responsibility towards her.
“When people are drinking a bottle of vodka (each) it is realistic to think there would be issues.
“The effect on her was very difficult to assess because she doesn’t want to co-operate (with the prosecution) and has not provided a victim statement. She says she wants this relationship to resume at some point.”
She told Montgomery that what made it more serious was he was her carer, she had severe mental health difficulties and was “extremely vulnerable”.