Matlock man who left partner's face covered in blood after attack on Gainsborough street is jailed

Curtis Hood carried out the assault on Claire Johnson after the couple fell out while visiting Gainsborough.

Leanne Summers, prosecuting, told Lincoln Crown Court that there was an incident between the two of them in the beer garden of the White Horse pub in the town.

After that they went their separate ways and Ms Johnson took a taxi to a friend's house on Middlefield Lane, Gainsborough, where they had both intended to stay the night.

Miss Summers said: "The friend asked her to leave. As she was leaving she saw the defendant. The next thing she was on the floor and the defendant was punching her repeatedly in the face."

Miss Summers said that Ms Johnson shouted for help and a number of passers-by intervened.

"The defendant was seen to be on top of the complainant pinning her to the floor and punching her."

When two men went to assist Ms Johnson the defendant told them: "She's my wife. I can do what I want to her."

Police were called and Hood was arrested.

Ms Johnson, who had been in a relationship with Hood for four years, was taken to hospital. She had a badly bruised face and a black eye.

Hood, 36, of Dale Road, Matlock, admitted a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm as a result of the incident on May 23 2018.

He admitted driving while under the influence of drugs after being stopped by police in the Chesterfield area in November 2018 and also admitted breach of a suspended jail sentence imposed for fraud.

He was jailed for a total of 20 months and banned from driving for 22 months.

Judge Simon Hirst, passing sentence, told him: "What you did was totally disgraceful. The passers-by were horrified. Her face was covered in blood and there were enormous amounts of bruising around her eyes. This was a nasty attack. Plainly this offence is so serious that only an immediate custodial sentence can be passed."

Tony Stanford, in mitigation, said that Hood had no previous convictions for violence.

"He has lost his relationship with this woman. They planned to marry and they had a home together. All of that has gone. That huge hole in his life has been put there by him and his own stupid, ugly behaviour.

"He recognises that this violent outburst was wholly wrong and he needs to take steps to end that behaviour."