A man punched and stamped on his former partner, breaking her leg and leaving her with a limp. Darren Roberts’ victim needed her left ankle to be re-aligned three times and a metal plate and screws.
The victim Lisa Owen said she has never experienced pain like it and was left going to the toilet using a commode. The assault happened after Roberts, Ms Owen and friends had been on a night out and returned to her home.
Roberts, 36, of Llawr Pentre, Old Colwyn, admitted causing Lisa Owen grievous bodily harm. A judge at Mold Crown Court today jailed the defendant for 16 months.
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Prosecutor Karl Scholz said HGV driver Roberts and Ms Owen had been in a relationship for about five years. He would become argumentative in drink.
On Tuesday afternoon, January 3 Ms Owen went to a pub with friends. Roberts joined them after work. By about 9pm, they ended up back at her home and a female friend asked Ms Owen if she could stay that night.
The court heard the defendant called the two women “f****** lesbians”. He was asked to leave which he did but returned to her living room and refused to go.
He punched Ms Owen and she fell to the floor. Then he stamped on her leg “four to six times” with “considerable force”, said the prosecutor.
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Ms Owen’s friend Fiona Lloyd was in the bathroom and heard “thuds”. She came out to find blood on Ms Owen’s face.
She asked Roberts what had happened but he put on his coat and “simply left”, said the prosecutor. They rang a friend John Butcher and he rang for an ambulance but none was available so he took Ms Owen to hospital.
Doctors at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd diagnosed a fracture in the upper bones of her left, lower leg and an ankle bone had been “moved out of position”. Ms Owen’s ankle had to be “manually re-aligned” three times.
On January 6 Ms Owen had surgery under general anaesthetic to have a metal plate and screws inserted into her ankle. She then wore a cast for seven weeks.
In a victim statement Ms Owen said she has never felt pain like it. She relies on her family and friends to shop, cook and help her eat.
She takes eight painkillers a day and walks with a limp. She has nightmares and couldn’t work, losing about £3,500 in earnings before tax.
The prosecutor quoted her in her statement saying “She tries to push those closest to her away because she does not want them to share in the ill mood and the depression that she now experiences.” She is in constant pain even now and ends up crying most days.
Ryan Rothwell, defending, said it was a “nasty but fairly short-lived” incident. His client is terrified of going to prison and he invited the judge to suspend the custodial sentence.
But the judge Mr Recorder Simon Mills said he couldn’t as it was so serious. He told Roberts: “It was a truly dreadful assault on your former partner for absolutely no reason whatsoever.
“You had been drinking. You engaged in mysogynistic abuse towards towards her and her friend” which does not form part of this charge.
On the assault he added: “Perhaps there is some lurking sense of shame but it’s difficult to detect.” Jailing Roberts, he also imposed a seven-year restraining order prohibiting him from contacting his ex-partner.
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William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
