Drunken Leeds partner slashed woman's face with broken plate and kicked her unconscious

Arron Hemingway had been drinking heavily at their home on September 14 and began shouting at their children in the kitchen when a plate was smashed, but then lost his temper with his partner of seven years when she came to find out what was happening.

Hemingway, 34, picked up a shard of broken plate and attacked her, causing a cut to her face. In shock, she went into the living room pursued by Hemingway, who without warning, then kicked her to the face, knocking her out.

She had no idea she had been unconscious and was later told by a friend who witnessed the incident about what had happened. The woman was found to small fracture to her jaw after being taken to hospital, but no surgery was required, prosecutor Jessica Lister told Leeds Crown Court.

Hemingway, of Leasowe Gardens, Hunslet, was interviewed by police but gave no comments. He has no previous convictions. He was initially charged with Section 18 GBH with intent, but later admitted Section 20 GBH without intent, which was accepted by the Crown.

Mitigating, Kara Frith said: “He is horrified about what he did. There had been verbal altercations but it was not a violent relationship. He can’t comprehend how things escalated. He is not blaming anyone else, it’s entirely on him.

"He has taken responsibility for what he has done. He is ashamed of what he did and wants help. It was a dreadful unprovoked assault.”

Judge Anesh Pema told Hemingway: “You were in the house and already in drink, and you got more and more drunk. It’s a horrible offence. You could not complain with a substantial term of custody. It’s right on the edge but I will take a chance.”

He gave Hemingway 24 months’ jail, suspended for 18 months, ordered him to enrol on a domestic-violence awareness course, gave him 15 rehabilitation days, 240 hours of unpaid work and put him on a 90-day alcohol-abstinence electronic tag, which can monitor if he consumes any booze.