Jailed: Violent dad assaulted partner with their baby in his arms and robbed Telford petrol station at knifepoint
A violent dad who assaulted his partner with their baby in his arms and robbed a petrol station at knifepoint has been caged.
Michael Holmes also kicked the mother of his 11-week-old boy while she was changing his nappy because he was jealous of the attention she was giving him.
In the “frightening” petrol station incident, Holmes pulled a blade on a female cashier, held it to her shoulder, punched the counter top and screamed at her to open the till.
Shrewsbury Crown Court was first told of 30-year-old Holmes’s domestic abuse.
The victim described the relationship as “initially good”, but it “deteriorated” after their son was born due to Holmes’s cannabis use and mental health problems.
In an incident in September last year at the home they shared in Madeley, Telford, she asked Holmes to move from the sofa he had been sleeping on.
But he became angry, accusing her of caring more about the baby than him and claiming there was “nothing” between them anymore.
“He picked the baby up,” said prosecutor Richard Davenport. “She walked past him and whilst he had the baby in his arms, he grabbed her hair and caused her to fall backwards.
“She tried to make noise but he put his hand over her mouth. She was crying and scared. He said ‘are you going to be quiet?’ When she said yes, he let go.”
The victim said Holmes had his hand covering her mouth for around 20 seconds, and she believed he “got a thrill” out of hurting her.
