'Functioning crack addict' building boss who punched his partner in the face and hit her with a pole is jailed
A building boss who punched his ex-partner in the face and smacked her with a pole in a two-year campaign of domestic abuse has been sent to jail.
Kenneth Morris, who was described as a “functioning drug addict and borderline alcoholic”, was aggressive towards his victim on numerous occasions, and once threatened her with a knife.
Shrewsbury Crown Court was told how Morris, of Church Stretton, and the victim were in an eight-year relationship, with his bad behaviour prompting her to call the police on July 3 this year.
She told officers that Morris, aged 44, had returned home from work angry and had punched her in the temple.
She said she had been in an “abusive relationship” involving domestic violence, and things had got worse over the last six months.
In April, Morris threatened her with a knife and then "slapped" her with it.
A couple of months later he was “aggressive” towards her in his van, grabbing her arm in an argument.
He also assaulted her with a plastic pole and punched her in the face.
The victim said he also pushed and punched her “on a weekly basis”.
Overall, Morris was said to have abused his victim for around two years from June 2023 up until the time of arrest. They are no longer together.
Police arrested Morris and he answered “no comment” to questions in his interview.
Morris, of Watling Street South, Church Stretton, pleaded guilty to engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour in an intimate relationship.
The self-employed building manager has seven previous convictions for nine offences, including common assault and criminal damage against the same victim and assaulting a police officer who was sent to deal with a domestic issue involving Morris and the victim.
Crack and alcohol 'turned him into person he didn't like'
Rosemary Proctor, mitigating, said: “He accepts he was the worst version of himself in this relationship. The relationship is unequivocally over.”
She added that Morris has been using crack cocaine over the last few years and “drinking to excess”.
“It turned him into a person he didn’t like,” Miss Proctor said, adding that Morris has got clean while in prison.
“He wishes me to say he is very sorry for hurting her,” Miss Proctor said.
Judge Trevor Meegan told Morris: “You were a functioning drug addict and a borderline functioning alcoholic for some time.
“She was assaulted every week. You threatened her with a knife.”
He jailed Morris for 16 months and made him subject of an indefinite restraining order, banning him from contacting the victim.
It is expected that Morris will serve up to half of the time in custody before being released on licence.