A man assaulted his partner on a ‘fuzzy’ night taking diazepam and crack.
49-year-old Wayne Hobbs admitted attacking Melanie Wynne during an incident at their home in Welcome Avenue, Swindon, on 24 January this year.
The victim called 999 at 8.55pm, screaming “he’s hurting me” before putting the phone down. When the operator called back, she told of how the defendant punched her three times.
On Thursday (11 April), Keith Ballinger told Swindon Magistrates’ Court that when officers arrived at the scene, Ms Wynne told of how Hobbs threw her across a room during an argument.
However, she also told officers that she did not support a prosecution. Due to the domestic nature of the assault, proceedings were brought by the Crown Prosecution Service regardless.
Neighbours provided statements to the police, stating that they had seen her outside her flat – where she claimed Hobbs had hit her and locked her out.
He pleaded guilty to a charge of assault by beating.
Emma Hillier, defending, said her client’s memory of the night were “fuzzy” because he had been drinking and taken diazepam and crack cocaine.
She said that there were “some discrepancies” in the victim’s reports and it was a “blip for want of a better word” in a long-standing 23-year relationship.
Ms Hillier said Hobbs was now “completely free of drugs and only drinks occasionally”. He is currently living with his mother in Ray Close, Haydon Wick.
Magistrates imposed a £180 fine and ordered him to past costs and surcharge.
