Man knocked girlfriend’s hat off during argument in front of toddler at Blackpool North train station

Christopher Dawson lashed out as the couple walked hand-in-hand with the three-year-old girl into Blackpool North railway station, a Preston Crown Court was told.

A member of the station staff saw the confrontation and then seconds later watched as he grabbed the woman in what he later claimed was a “show of affection”.

Dawson pleaded guilty to assault by beating but was spared prison by Recorder Michelle Brown despite the offence being committed while he was on a suspended sentence issued by her last year for a domestic violence offence.

She told him: “This is your last chance. When I sentenced you (last) I told you if you committed any further offences you would be sent to prison.”

But she said this offence was relatively “minor” because the victim had suffered no injury – although she was clearly distressed - and had refused to cooperate with the prosecution. It was made more serious because Dawson was in breach of the suspended sentence.

The judge added that she had to decide if activating the suspended sentence would be unjust in the circumstances and decided that it was.

She told Dawson, of no fixed address: “I came close to considering whether or not I should do so because of your history, but (I decided) it would not be appropriate to activate it.”

Preston Crown Court was told Dawson’s criminal record contained 35 previous offences, including one similar to this case.

The latest victim had refused to give a statement about the impact the railway station incident had on her. She was not in court to see Dawson sentenced and it was said the couple had recently recommenced their relationship.

The prosecution said a member of the station staff overheard an argument and saw Dawson lash out and knock his partner’s hat off as they walked through doors into the station.

He was swearing and seconds later he got hold of the woman, although he maintained he was just hugging her. All the time the woman’s three-year-old daughter was in the middle of the row.

Brief CCTV footage of the incident was played in court. Police who attended the scene and arrested Dawson said when he was questioned about the assault he claimed: “It didn’t happen”. He denied slapping her and also denied his arm movement which dislodged her hat had been intentional.

Barrister Ellie Watson, for Dawson, told the court he accepted knocking off her hat, but there had been no slap. When he took hold of her seconds later she said: “He was trying to show physical affection to her.”

She told the judge there had been no physical harm caused to the woman and the offence in itself did not cross the threshold for a custodial sentence. And she urged Recorder Brown to “give him an opportunity here”.

The judge said Dawson had been committed by magistrates to the Crown Court for sentence purely because he was in breach of the suspended sentence.

She told him he had “struck out” at his partner while the couple were walking hand-in-hand with the victim’s toddler.

“You knocked her hat off and grabbed her a few seconds later. Police officers heard you swearing at her. It is a minor matter, albeit a serious one – a minor assault but a serious offence in the circumstances.

“This is your last chance. If you continue offending, if you come back before me again for any offence, or if you breach this (suspended sentence) order you are going to prison. Do you understand? You won’t get any more chances.”

She gave Dawson a community order for 12 months and ordered him to undergo alcohol abstinence treatment and do 30 hours unpaid work.