'˜Affair' fears led to punch rumpus

A woman who confronted her partner about messages to another woman on his phone suffered two fractures to her face when he lashed out at her.
Court newsCourt news
Court news

Preston’s Sessions House court was told Robert Alexander Fraser, 31, of Steeton Road, Grange Park, was “rudely awakened” from his sleep and hit out once, striking her to her face.

He admitted a charge of causing grievous bodily harm following the incident on August 10.

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Prosecuting Neil Ronan said: “Through the evening they had been drinking and they were getting on fine. The defendant retired to bed. While asleep the complainant looked through his phone and found a conversation with a female indicative of an affair.

“She was upset by this and woke him to discuss it. On waking the defendant knocked the phone out of her hand and grabbed her by the throat and pinned her down to the bed, during which she was unable to breathe.

“The defendant then punched her to the face. She immediately felt severe discomfort.”

The court heard in a police interview Fraser claimed he had made a “juvenile remark” about her body before they went to bed, and the woman had gotten upset and started pinching him.

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Mr Ronan added: “The defendant said he was woken up, didn’t know where he was and he punched out. He said she started going on about the messages and screaming at him to get out so he got his clothes on and left.”

Defending, Julie Taylor said Fraser had reacted this way out due to a previous incident in which he was attacked in his home and suffered a broken ankle.

Recorder Harry Narayan agreed to suspend his one year sentence for two years so Fraser could address his alcohol problem.