Man jailed for punching partner in the face

A MAN who told his ex she was "making a big mistake" after she told police about his violence towards her when she'd caught him cheating has been jailed.

Richard Peter Wilson (30), of Oldham, who appeared at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court yesterday via video-link from Forest Bank Prison, was sentenced to 10 months.

He assaulted his then partner and tried to intimidate her to withdraw her complaint in November last year.

Nichola Carroll, prosecuting, told the court how Wilson had abused his partner throughout their relationship.

After a brief break-up, the pair reunited, at which point she suspected him of cheating.

On November 18, she went to Wilson's flat, where she did find him with another woman. When confronted, Wilson dragged his partner into the stairwell of the flats before punching her in the face twice.

He then dragged her down the stairs and out of the building, where she was able to escape to her car and call the police, at which point Wilson ran away.

On November 19, Wilson's partner picked up her phone to him after numerous phone calls where he apologised and then asked if she had given a statement.

Wilson said: "You're making a big mistake, I'm going to deny everything and you are going to have to sit in court in front of me." Ms Carroll told the court.

In the early hours of November 20, Wilson appeared at her house banging on the door and threatening: "If you ring the police you are dead".

But despite the threat she did and Wilson was arrested that day and held in custody.

Wilson pleaded guilty to common assault and intimidation.

In mitigation, lawyer Stuart Neale, defending, said that Wilson, who has previous convictions of domestic abuse against previous partners, had changed his character to be more positive while in custody.

However, Judge Richard Mansell QC said he believed that Wilson, given his past history, and the seriousness of using threatening behaviour to pervert the course of justice, was still a danger to women.