A domestic abuser assaulted his girlfriend just a few weeks after she gave birth to his baby.
At Swindon Magistrates’ Court today (15 September), Craig “CJ” Gleed stood to be sentenced for two charges of assault and another of harassment against his former partner.
The 35-year-old defendant, of Hawthorn Avenue, Pinehurst, previously admitted the incidents and returned to court with a pre-sentence report detailing his mental health issues.
Keith Ballinger, prosecuting, said the the victim’s daughter came downstairs after hearing her mother being ‘thrown around’ and shouting for Gleed to get off her on 15 June this year.
She found her mother with a red mark accross her cheek and as she attempted to intervene, the victim was dragged by her hair – and 999 was called.
In an earlier incident on the 4 June, the woman’s daughter witnessed Gleed leaning over and shouting at her mother whilst she was lying on the bed.
She started recording his behaviour on a mobile phone, and when told, the defendant stepped away from her mother and the incident ended.
Following Gleed’s arrest on 15 June, he was given bail conditions not the contact the victim. Instead, he made hundreds of phone calls to her and repeatedly sent her messages on WhatsApp.
In some messages he claimed to be outside her home and sent photos of females, making her believe they were her friends. Most disturbingly, he sent her a photograph of himself with a belt around his neck and threatened to harm himself.
In a statement, the victim said Gleed had controlled her throughout the relationship and would often claim he had been sleeping with her friends – causing her to isolate herself from them. She said she felt unsafe in her own home and is always on edge when she leaves.
Despite being in a relationship with the woman for just 14 months, Gleed has a previous conviction for assaulting her dating back to earlier this year.
The court also heard how he has previous convictions for offences relating to other former partners.
Gordon Hotson, defending, said his client accepts the relationship is “well and truly over”, and that he plans to obtain access to his child through family court proceedings in the future.
Cheif magistrate Mina Searles labelled Gleed a “a risk to anyone woman you are in a personal relationship with” after imposing a suspended prison sentence of 20 weeks.
The prison term will be suspended for a total of two years, and the defendant must complete the intensive Building Better Relationships Programme and 25 rebhailiation days.
A restraining order was also imposed for two years – meaning he cannot contact his victim directly or indirectly (expect via the family court) or go to Pasteur Drive in Swindon,
