Violent abuser pestered girl, 15, for sex and punched his partner in the head

Ashley Hall, aged 28, was sentenced for a string of offences - first for sexually touching a 15-year-old girl and harassing her for intercourse on Snapchat, and then for attacking his partner.

Shrewsbury Crown Court first heard how Hall met his young victim when she was 13, with his sexual intentions coming to the fore a couple of years later.

On September 17, 2021, he started messaging her on Snapchat, saying he was in Telford. "She did not want to meet him," said Rob Edwards, prosecuting.

But Hall, who knew the girl was still only 15, learned of her location via the 'Snap Maps' feature, and turned up at her house. He sent several messages saying he was outside and wanted her to speak to him.

She left her home in the early hours of the morning and went with him to a nearby recreation ground, where they communicated via phone messages. He told her he wanted to touch her, but she said she did not want him to.

"At that point, she felt uncomfortable, scared and intimidated," said Mr Edwards.

She tried to keep her distance, but Hall sexually touched her and tried to get her to have sex with him. However, she was able to make her excuses and leave. The victim said she had suffered mentally since the ordeal.

Hall was arrested and was on bail with the conditions that he must not live with a female. He broke the rules, moving in with a partner whom he went on to abuse.

In early June last year, Hall and his partner were having an argument when he seized her phone. As she tried to take it back from him he "grabbed her by the hair and dragged her" to the bedroom. He pushed her onto the bed, got on top of her, held her by the throat and put weight on her chest, making her struggle to breathe.

Later that month, they were in bed and he told her to get onto her back. He tried to prise open her legs for sex, but she wouldn't let him.

"He became angry," said Mr Edwards. "He told her she was useless and punched her to the side of the head."

He went downstairs and locked all the doors before returning to the bedroom where he delivered a "massive blow" to her head. The victim managed to send a coded message to her friend to call the police. When Hall found out officers were on their way, he grabbed a knife and threatened to self-harm.

Hall, of Priorslee Road, Snedshill, Telford, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, intentional suffocation, criminal damage, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and sexual communication with a child.

Debra White, mitigating, said he pleaded guilty at the first opportunity in respect of the assault charges, and that he said he "blacked out" when he attacked his partner. She added that he had "struggled" in prison so far.

Judge Anthony Lowe questioned whether Hall was telling the truth about blackouts, given he had the presence of mind to go downstairs and lock all the doors.

He told Hall there was "significant persistence" when he pursued the 15-year-old girl for sex, and that he had committed "serious offences of violence" against his partner.

Judge Lowe jailed Hall for 43 months. For the next 10 years, Hall will be on the Sex Offenders' Register, as well as subject of a sexual harm prevention order and restraining orders stopping him from contacting his victims.