Girlfriend dragged into house (From Gazette Series)

Girlfriend dragged into house

A MAN who pleaded guilty to assaulting his girlfriend of six and a half years has been given an 18-month conditional discharge.

Christopher Kenneth Church, 49, of School Road, Highfields, Dursley, appeared before South Gloucestershire magistrates sitting in Stroud last Friday and admitted assaulting Diana Paget outside his home on April 17 this year.

Malcolm Hayes, prosecuting, told the court that the couple had been drinking and watching a DVD at Mr Church's house when an argument broke out between them at around 6.30pm.

The dispute resulted in Miss Paget, who lives at a separate address, leaving the house by the back door with Mr Church in pursuit.

Mr Church caught Miss Paget up in the street and grabbed her by the shoulders, telling her to come back.

The couple then argued for a further 20 minutes before Miss Paget was dragged back inside the house.

A neighbour who saw the incident then called the police. Mr Hayes said: "When the officers arrived they found Miss Paget to be clearly very scared."

The court heard that Miss Paget made a statement to police but retracted it in full two days later. Despite the retraction it was still deemed that the case should be brought to court.

Mr Hayes explained: "It was deemed in the public interest to proceed." Ann Frost, defending, recommended Mr Church be given a conditional discharge as he had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and that Miss Paget had effectively not made a complaint.

She added: "He was not trying to assault her. This is the very, very bottom of a common assault charge."

The court was also told that Miss Paget had indicated that she wished to resume her relationship with Mr Church.

Handing Mr Church an 18-month conditional discharge, magistrate Jean Hateley said the fact that Miss Paget did not live with Mr Church and could therefore stay away if she wished had helped shape the decision of the bench.

However, Mrs Hateley warned Mr Church: "We take domestic violence very seriously. This is not getting away with it.

"In future, you will have to think about your actions before you drink and before you lose your temper."

Mr Church was ordered to pay £55 costs.