Bully boyfriend beat up mother of his child after she told him to keep noise down
Bully boyfriend Brandon West launched an horrific attack on the mother of his child after she told him to keep the noise down. The 20-year-old had been drinking at his then partner's address when a row erupted.
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard his victim asked him to be quiet because she didn't want to disturb the neighbours. But West responded by pushing her to floor, grabbing her with a force, tugging her hair and saying 'You stay there you little b***h, next time you get up I’ll kill you”. She bit his arm in self-defence.
West then 'showered her in spit' and took her phone. Prosecutor Ben Lawrence told the court that the victim rang 999 but abandoned the call. Staffordshire Police had received previous domestic reports from the phone number so sent officers to the scene.
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West said he’d done nothing wrong and officers were concerned for his safety because they were worried he’d bang his head on the bannister in his fit of rage. It was at this point that West then spat at the officer directly in the face, landing near their nose, mouth and eyes. He was then put on the ground and had to be restrained using straps.
When interviewed at the station he gave 'no comment' replies. West, of Rothesay Court, Newcastle, went on to plead guilty to two charges of common assault against the woman and one of common assault against an emergency worker. He has six previous convictions including affray, possession of a bladed article, and possession of cocaine.
In her victim statement, the victim said: “The relationship was toxic throughout now I can see it in hindsight. I didn’t realise at the time. I was given verbal abuse, I was made to feel useless. I’m terrified, I have flashbacks, nightmares and I’ve withdrawn from friends and family.
"I feel sick and shaky thinking about the assault. I struggle if someone else tries to touch me, even in mundane ways. My emotional scars will continue but I do want to move on, but I’m finding it difficult to do so. The bruising lasted for a week.”
Paul Cliff, mitigating, said: “Mr West spent five-and-a-half months on remand, prior to this he was working at a warehouse and intends to resume this type of work he was involved in before - he enjoyed this work. He has a son with the victim and he has still been seeing his son with no problems.”
Judge Michael Maher sentenced the defendant to a total of seven months in jail. However, West was released immediate due to the time he had spent on remand.
He told West: “I’ve watched the bodycam footage and you are volatile and erratic. You were drinking together and she was understandably concerned about her neighbours.
"You tried to pull the phone off her during the call - another aggravating feature. You showered her with spit and verbal abuse. The police also got a dose of your unpleasant behaviour.
“I’ve watched on the bodycam how you go from zero to 60 with your temper in less than a second. I guarantee if you don't control that then the sentences you receive for future matters and sentences will get longer and longer. You said ‘I’ve done nothing wrong, it’s always the man’, it's not always the man, it was you Mr West. I suggest you seek professionals who can help you deal with your anger.”