A WOMAN who was subjected to a terrifying attack by her ex-partner now feels like a prisoner in her own home, a court was told.
Richard Shaw, 49, headbutted and then grabbed Jean Ackroyd round the neck during the attack on Bonfire Night – just three weeks after he was released from prison following an assault on a previous girlfriend.
Shaw, who also has a previous conviction for wounding dating back to 1990, was yesterday jailed again for 15 months after he pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and theft of the woman’s mobile phone.
Prosecutor Matthew Harding told Bradford Crown Court how Ms Ackroyd received about 10 phone calls from Shaw on the day of the attack and he became more aggressive as he became more drunk.
She refused to come out for a drink and was returning home from the Costcutter store on Leeds Road, Huddersfield, when Shaw grabbed hold of her as she walked through a wooded area at about 7.30pm.
Shaw, of no fixed abode, headbutted her in the face causing her nose to bleed heavily and dragged her along the ground for about 10ft.
Mr Harding said Shaw made a threat to kill his former partner and after pinning her down on the ground he put his hands round her neck and squeezed hard. His terrified victim told him: “Please don’t Richard. Please don’t.”
Shaw threatened to do the same to a neighbour who tried to intervene and after taking the complainant’s mobile phone he left the area in a taxi. He was later arrested.
Last month Shaw pleaded guilty on the day of his trial to the assault and theft charges.
An allegation of making a threat to kill was ordered to lie on the file.
Mr Harding said the complainant had suffered panic attacks and was receiving counselling.
In her victim impact statement, Ms Ackroyd said she did not leave the house after dark unless it was unavoidable and regarded herself as a prisoner in her own home.
Recorder Julian Goose QC agreed to make Shaw the subject of an indefinite restraining order which bans him from having any direct or indirect contact with his ex.
Lawyer Anne-Marie Hutton, for Shaw, said he wanted to apologise to his victim and ashamed at the impact of the attack on her.
