Yahoo News "He just lost it": Personal trainer repeatedly struck seriously ill girlfriend with steel baton after 'heavy week' leaving her 'black and blue'
A personal trainer repeatedly struck his seriously ill girlfriend with a steel baton through the night after she couldn't unlock her mobile for him.
Anthony Frost, who works as a cleaning supervisor but does charity work as a personal trainer, woke up his victim in bed by throwing water over her and holding a lighter in front of her face, before overturning her mattress, a court heard. The 54-year-old insisted she put the password in her phone so he could access her online banking account.
But the victim was 'incredibly sleepy' due to medication she was taking for fibromyalgia - a condition that causes widespread pain and extreme tiredness. She couldn't remember the password or make the fingerprint work.
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In anger, Frost, from Northwich in Cheshire, then repeatedly hit her with an extendable steel baton, Warrington Magistrates' Court was told. As his pained victim tried to sleep after the first blows, he continued to hit her with the weapon leaving her 'black and blue' with bruises.
Frost, who is a now in new relationship with a different woman, said he accepted the attack was 'the worst thing he ever done'. His lawyer said he had had a 'heavy week' and that there was a 'cocktail of pressures'.
The court was told how the incident happened in August 2022. Around this time, the victim became ill through her medical condition.
Michael O’Kane, prosecuting said: "The defendant came into her room and tried to wake her. He poured water on her and then tipped the mattress over so she fell on the ground.
"At that point he has also thrown more liquid on her. He put a lighter near her face.
"Using her hand she said the lighter was that close, indicating a few inches from her face. She was petrified when that took place.
"He leant over her when she was on the floor. She got back on the bed, cold and shaking from being wet.
"She says that she went to the toilet and went back to bed but he woke her again. The defendant was angry with her and he moved into the living room.
"The complainant was in and out of sleep as she has side effects from her illnesses and or medication It seems the defendant wanted access to her phone because he wanted money transferred to him. She was struggling to make the phone open as the fingerprint was not working.
"Furthermore, she could not remember the password due to the state of stress she was in. She threw the phone down saying that she could not access it but the defendant struck her on multiple occasions with that extendable baton.
"She said every time she would nod off she would get hit again with the baton, she said she could not stay awake and was being repeatedly asked to unlock the phone. She says she was hit very hard and she was shocked and angry and upset.
"She said she screamed and begged for him to stop but he reacted by hitting her again and he kept repeatedly asking her to open the phone. She said afterwards, she felt shaken and went back to bed.
"After the incident she said she was black and blue. She did not seek treatment."
The prosecutor added: "She made disclosures to her mother about what happened. The bruises lasted over a week.
"They were painful and aching for some time. In an interview she said she had pains from head to toe.
"She did not leave the house for a period. She did not want anyone to see the injuries.
"The victim was very vulnerable given the fact that she was unwell and suffering side effects on medication combined with the illnesses that she suffered. She was drifting in and out of sleep when this offence took place, unclothed and not in a position to protect herself."
The court heard how Frost had 45 previous offences on his record including for burglary and a serious sexual offence. In mitigation, Mark Evans said: "Mr Frost is the first person to accept this offence is clearly inexcusable but there was a cocktail of pressures.
"He had financial issues, and debt. Mr Frost was working night shift and working in the day and going back with very little sleep in order to try and keep a roof over their heads.
"It may be, and understandably, the complainant's condition became worse because of the extra stress. She was staying in bed all day and not meeting her responsibilities towards the bills which he said put extra pressure on him.
"That does not excuse his behaviour but it explains why he completely lost control in the way he did. It was a heavy week.
"He had not slept properly for about three nights and he just lost it. He completely accepts that it is the worst thing he has ever done.
"He apologised for months after. He wishes he could turn back the clock.
"Unfortunately life does not work like that. The relationship continued for 10 months then broke up.
"He has shown genuine remorse and regret and apologises again as he has done already multiple times to the victim. He is employed as a cleaning supervisor and does charity work as a personal trainer helping people with depression and anxiety.
"He has organised charity events, despite him having COPD and various other health difficulties. As much as he has done wrong, he is a gentleman who adds to society in other ways."
Sentencing, District Judge Jack McGarva told Frost: "The victim went through a horrible ordeal during this very nasty assault. This is a nasty case of domestic abuse committed in a domestic content and which is itself an aggravating factor.
"It was a prolonged incident involving use of a weapon. Your behaviour was demeaning to the victim. She must have been extremely frightened during the incident.
"But there is genuine remorse, you have no convictions for 24 years and there has been a long delay in bringing the matter before the court which is nobody’s fault. It was to your benefit because you have done nothing since then."
Frost pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He was sentenced to 24 weeks in prison, which was suspended for 18 months.
He was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, 15 days of rehabilitative activity and a 30-day 'building better relationships' programme. He was also ordered to pay £500 in compensation to the victim and was handed a two-year restraining order preventing him from contacting her.
