Wolverhampton roofer's 'jealous rampage' ends in jail
A jilted roofer who celebrated the New Year by going on a "jealous rampage" has been jailed for two years.
Furious Sean Atkins headed for an address in Field Road, Bloxwich where his former partner was with the new man in her life in the early hours of January 1.
The 24-year-old had already thrown a breeze block through a window at the home of the woman's mother who had been holding one of her grandchildren in her arms when the missile narrowly missed them, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.
The former partner, who had been in a two year relationship with the defendant, received a text message from him around 4am telling her to look at the van of her boyfriend, said Mr Tim Sapwell, prosecuting.
When the woman went to check she found a window in the vehicle had been smashed and saw Atkins in a car being driven by another man.
The defendant walked up and punched her in the face before pulling her to the ground where she was repeatedly kicked, the court was told.
Then he dragged her by the hair towards the car he had been travelling. She said later: "I was shouting 'someone please help' but he kept stamping on my head until I blacked out."
Neighbours came to the rescue and she was taken to a nearby house where it was discovered she had escaped from the beating with bad bruising and grazing, continued Mr Sapwell who added: "The injuries were not as serious as they could have been."
Atkins and the woman had a child, revealed Mr Charles Cronin, defending, who explained: "In the early hours of New Years Day he found it difficult to cope with the fact that his girlfriend had found a new partner. He bitterly regrets what he did and behaved in this way as a result of his drinking and taking cocaine."
The defendant, from Severn Road, Blakenhall and with previous convictions that included violence towards another girlfriend, pleaded guilty to assault and criminal damage.
He was sent to prison by Judge Barry Berlin who told him: "You were very angry when you found out your former partner had another boyfriend and set yourself up to cause trouble which you did by going on a jealous rampage."
