A Swindon domestic abuser has had his case transferred to a higher court.
47-year-old James Lever pleaded guilty to three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm on his wife at a hearing on 14 March.
The dad-of-three, who owned JLAesthetics, assaulted the woman as she recovered from a C-section in September 2022 – having given birth to his child the month previous.
He also attacked his victim on two other occasions – on Christmas Eve 2022 and on a date between 11 September and 16 September 2023.
A pre-sentence report was ordered and the defendant, of Alderley Road, was told to return for sentence on 18 April.
But when he arrived at Swindon Magistrates’ Court, the bench decided the case was too serious for their jurisdiction.
The case has been transferred to Swindon Crown Court, where judges have much greater sentencing powers.
Lever will be sentenced on 17 May. He was released on bail.