Yahoo News Bakery owner who attacked ex-partner in Long Eaton park handed first taste of custody
A bakery owner who attacked and strangled his ex-partner in a park in Long Eaton is tasting custody for the first time at the age of 33. Nottingham Crown Court heard how a couple bravely intervened when they heard the woman calling ‘help me, help me’ as she was being assaulted by Al-Yassa Yusuf.
After grabbing her by the throat with one hand, the defendant used the other to strike and slap her until the witnesses were able to stop him. And when they did, he turned on the male and punched him too.
Jailing him for 14 months, Judge Steven Coupland said: “It may well be you were experiencing difficulties in your life when this offence was committed. That may well feature in the background of what you did, but that is not an excuse for doing what you did to your ex-partner.
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“You were in the process of breaking up and you went round to her home. She was sufficiently frightened that she wanted your discussion about it to take place in public.
“You attacked her, you grabbed her by the throat and while you were still holding her round the neck you hit her and hit her repeatedly. She was asking people for help, but you were so angry you were not listening to her. When two members of the public bravely tried to intervene, you turned on the male. He was particularly brave and stopped you from doing what you were doing to (the victim).
Katie Attenborough, prosecuting, said Yusuf and the victim had been in a relationship but it had ended. She said he went to her home on Long Eaton on July 23, 2023, to talk about the break-up and she suggested they went to West Park, in the town.
The prosecutor said: "When they were in West Park he grabbed her around the throat with one hand and then hit her repeatedly with the other hand. This was witnessed by two people who were walking in the park and who saw him attack the victim.
“They thought it was a man and a child at first, but the realised it was the defendant and a woman and they saw him slap her, punch her, grab her throat and then grab her by the hair. She was trying to protect herself, she was not retaliating and they heard her shouting ‘help me’ several times.
“They went over and asked him what the problem was, and he turned on the male.” Miss Attenborough said the defendant got into his car and drove away but was later arrested and answered “no comment" to the questions he was asked.
Yusuf, of Evington Drive, Leicester, pleaded guilty to intentional strangulation and has one driving matter on his record which post dates the Long Eaton attack.
Katie Fothergill, mitigating, said her client pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, has no relevant previous convictions and has not offended again since. She said: “He clearly accepts full responsibility despite (the victim) not supporting the prosecution.
“At the time he was going through a bad time in his life, doing badly, going through stress and financial difficulties and was simply not coping.
“He has now launched his own business - the Daily Bread Bakery - and so has this work opportunity and has investment to assist him in making the business a success.”
The judge told the hearing he was awarding the couple who intervened and helped stop the attack £250 each from the High Sheriff's fund for their bravery.
