Man who punched, kicked and smothered woman locked up for 33 months

Colin Powell, who was under a restraining order at the time, rained punches on his victim and kicked her in the face, subjecting her to around 20 blows.

Powell, aged 37 and of Highley, Bridgnorth, then took her phone off her to stop her calling the police and left in her car, Shrewsbury Crown Court was told.

The attack happened at the woman's home after they drank two bottles of wine between them on July 31 last year.

Miss Naomi Nelson-Cofie, prosecuting, said he took a dislike to messages she had received on her mobile phone and launched a "prolonged assault" on her, which started in the kitchen. At one point he pressed a pillow against her face.

Powell admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm, taking a vehicle without consent, theft, and harassment while under a suspended sentence and a restraining order, at Telford Magistrates' Court.

Megan Fletcher-Smith, defending in mitigation, said his ex-wife had provided a character reference for him.

"While he doesn't accept each and every aspect, he understands that he will be sentenced. He knows he has placed himself in a difficult personal position. He deserves credit for pleading guilty in the magistrates' court.

"He accepts his fault."

Judge Peter Barrie said Powell had been handed a 15-month suspended sentence imposed for a similar incident in June and had breached a restraining order to prevent contact with the woman.

Although she was said to be seeing him willingly when the attack happened, that did not alter the severity of the crime.

"She had a change of heart in the weeks that followed the sentence," he said.

"In human terms I can understand how you might want to resume a relationship, but in legal terms it was wrong for you to do so."

The judge called it a "flagrant breach."

He said the relationship descended into a loss of temper and self control and to a "violent assault" and imposed a 33-month sentence which took into account the previous suspended sentence.

West Mercia Police officers have now thanked the victim for her co-operation and urged others with concerns about domestic abuse to get in touch.

Detective Constable Geoff Anslow, of Shrewsbury CID, said: “We welcome the sentence which has been handed to Powell, and thank the victim in this case for her co-operation throughout.

“We urge anyone with any concerns about domestic abuse to please get in touch. We act on all reports we receive and offer full support to anyone who feels they are a victim of domestic abuse.”

Details of different ways that domestic can be reported can be found on the West Mercia Police website.