Abuser avoids jail after punching and kicking girlfriend and threatening to make her drink bleach
A violent partner who punched and kicked his girlfriend and threatened to make her drink bleach has avoided prison.
Andrew Higgins, aged 33, of Candlin Way, Lawley, Telford, subjected his ex to "a litany of violence and abuse", including smacking her in the face so she had to attend a funeral with a black eye.
But, because the case took so long to come to a conclusion in court, he escaped with a suspended sentence.
Shrewsbury Crown Court heard that Higgins and the victim had been in an "on-off" relationship since around 2013.
John R. Oates, prosecuting, first described an incident on September 24, 2019, when Higgins "hit her in the face with the back of his hand".
"She had a black eye and a bleeding nose," Mr Oates said, adding that she had to lie to people about how it happened.
A couple of months later, Higgins got angry because the victim was going on holiday without him.
