Man kicked and punched ex-wife 'like a footballer' in Costa
A man who assaulted his former wife in front of customers at a town centre coffee shop has been banned from contacting her for five years.
Mark Barrett grabbed the woman’s hair, pulling her to the ground, then punched and kicked her during the incident in Costa in Telford town centre on July 20.
Miss Sati Ruck, prosecuting, told Shrewsbury Crown Court that heard the pair met up to arrange access to their children and at first the discussion was amicable.
“The victim describes how the defendant became angry when she said that she or her mother would need to be present when he saw the children because they had not seen him for five years.
"The defendant having lost his temper called her a bully and stormed out.
“She remained to finish her coffee. He returned and shouted at her saying her much he hated her.
“He walked out again, but returned approaching her from behind.
“He grabbed her hair and she fell to the floor where he punched her to the face, kicked her several times to her body and head.
"Witnesses described him as kicking her ‘like how a professional footballer kicks’.
“Fortunately, members of the public intervened and pulled him away and the police were called.”
Miss Ruck said the woman suffered a cut lip and bruising.
Mr Andrew Green, mitigating for Barrett, said: “In many ways this is a sad case. He is not opposed to the restraining order.
“Mercifully, the injuries were not more extensive.
“He’s had the good sense to make an early guilty plea. He is a man without any previous convictions or cautions. There is no previous history of domestic violence.”
Barrett, aged 41, of Burford, Brookside in Telford, had pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm at a previous hearing.
The store worker was sentenced to a 12-month community order. He must carry out 180 hours unpaid work to be completed within 12 months, 22 rehabilitation activity days and attend a Building Better Relationships programme.
Barrett was also made subject to a five-year restraining order preventing him from contacting the victim except through a legal representative.
