A ‘jealous and possessive’ man has been jailed for seriously assaulting his wife after a night out.
Former nightclub boss Jason Ranford appeared at Swindon Crown Court for sentencing today (1 June) having previously admitted a charge of actual bodily harm in May.
Prosecutor Ellen McAnaw said the defendant, of Boxwood House, Hinton Parva, and his wife Paula Schrock Ranford had been drinking at Kioki club in Swindon’s Old Town on 1 May.
During their evening, they spent time with friends – but Ranford span into a jealous rage when he noticed his wife wearing another man’s gilet. He called her a “f**king s**t” and a “c**t”.
A friend witnessed his aggressive behaviour and contacted Mrs Schrock Ranford’s sister.
She later disclosed to her sister that she had been assaulted after leaving the nightclub. Mrs Schrock Ranford said that the defendant pulled her from a taxi, grabbed her around the neck and threw her on the floor, leaving her with severe bruising around her neck and a black eye.
In a text message, Ranford admitted his assault – confirming he dragged and pulled his wife from a taxi and left her injured in the street, before saying “I’m really sorry”.
In a reply, Mrs Schrock Ranford said ” what you’ve done to me is truly horrific”, but Ranford blamed her for his actions – saying she was flirting and labelling her a “s**t”.
His Honour Judge Keith Culter CBE interrupted Ms McAnaw to call Ranford – who was out of prison on licence for a serious assault on a man in a bar at the time of the incident – “very possessive”.
The court heard that the victim does not support Crown Prosecution Service’s case, nor did she provide a statement.
“This is a marriage that’s going to continue”, defence solicitor Emma Hanslip said as she confirmed that Mrs Schrock Ranford does not support the prosecution and wants to rebuild their relationship.
Judge Culter CBE described the bruising around the victim’s neck as “significant”, but accepted that Ranford did not throttle or strangle her during the attack.
Ms Hanslip added that her client “lost his temper”, pulled his wife out of a taxi and left her there – walking off. She said he accepts he has “significant issues surrounding alcohol”, stating that “once he starts, he can’t stop”.
She told the court that this is the defendant’s first conviction for domestic violence and accepted that when he is released on licence from prison, he won’t be able to live with his wife.
Jailing him for two years, Judge Culter CBE said the attack was “fuelled by drink”, telling Ranford he “suffered from feelings of some form of possessive jealously”.
