A VIOLENT man assaulted his partner while she was heavily pregnant.

Wayne Murphy subjected the victim to various assaults over a period of seven months – and on one occasion, children were in the house at the time.

Murphy, of Gorsey Lane, Padgate, appeared before Warrington Magistrates’ Court yesterday, Wednesday, after pleading guilty to two counts of assault by beating and two counts of assaulting a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm.

Prosecuting, Edward Rattigan said the four offences took place between September 2021 and March 2022.

He said one of the ABH charges took place in September 2021 after a ‘violent altercation’ between the former couple where a mug was smashed.

Mr Rattigan said that Murphy, 34, picked up a shard of the broken glass and tried to cut himself so the victim, who was around eight months pregnant at the time, tried to stop him.

But as she did, Murphy cut her hand with the shard causing her thumb to ‘pour with blood’.

Murphy tried to bandage and then glue the defendant’s thumb, but the injury was mild said Mr Rattigan.

The second ABH charge happened on January 27 this year when children were present in the house.

The court heard that Murphy grabbed his keys to leave the house during an argument but the complainant tried to take them off him.

The couple ended up on the floor after Murphy ‘took her down’ before he put his knee to her neck.

She was unable to breathe and he had twisted her arm behind her back.

Mr Rattigan said how Murphy also hit her in face which cut her lip.

Murphy also assaulted the victim on two other occasions.

A victim impact statement was read to the court which revealed how Murphy’s actions have caused his ex-partner and her children ‘unimaginable hurt’.

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Warrington Magistrates’ Court heard how the victim struggles to sleep, has been in a dark place mentally and how she felt ‘like a prisoner’ in her own body.

Defending, Jim Edwards said: “This man has never been in trouble before, has no previous convictions and has no experience of the criminal justice system.

“These are not intentional acts of violence on the victim, they are compulsive.

“He cannot control his emotions properly in a toxic situation.

“I believe there is significant remorse and he is seriously upset by his actions.”

Concluding, chair of the magistrates' bench Mr Ian Williams said: “This matter involves four serious charges.

“It was over a sustained period and it was against the same victim.

“This was in her own home, and more worryingly, this happened while the victim was heavily pregnant and on other occasions when the children were in the house.

“You no longer have good character.

“We found the victim impact statement very moving and difficult to listen to.

“This has clearly had a long-term effect on the victim.”

Due to Murphy’s previous good character, he received a suspended sentence.

Magistrates’ handed him a 12-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and also handed him a three-year restraining order against the victim.

He must complete up to 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days, a building better relationships programme, and 120 hours of unpaid work.

Murphy must pay £128 victim surcharge, court costs of £700, and pay £400 in compensation to the victim.