Chesterfield man slapped wife and pushed her to ground in drunken row about Black Lives Matter movement

The incident happened at the home the couple had been sharing in Nevis Close, Loundsley Green, Chesterfield, on June 26 this year, Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court heard on Tuesday, September 15.

Erik Magnus Berntsson had denied assaulting his wife but was found guilty following a trial last month.

Prosecuting, Tony Wilkinson said: “They had been drinking and the defendant became verbally abusive towards the complainant and there was some sort of disagreement about the Black Lives Matter protests.

“He had then slapped her to the face and grabbed her around the neck, pushing her to the floor. She tried to call 999 but he took the telephone from her and he came back from the kitchen and threatened to kill himself if she left him. She then saw two females that she knew and went outside to get help.”

Mitigating, John Wilford said that Berntsson opposed the conviction and was considering an appeal. He said: “He does accept that he did slap his wife and he wishes that he had just walked away and left it. There were difficulties with the relationship but nothing like this before.

“He lost his employment - he’s a personal trainer and therapist - and he has been drinking more. He’s found things difficult to get used to because the only relationship he had was with his wife and this argument escalated out of all proportion and he understands that his wife is now proceeding with a divorce.”

Berntsson, 54, now of Hillsway, Littleover, Derby, was given a 12-month community order to include 14 rehabilitation activity days with the Probation Service and 120 hours of unpaid work. He must also pay £200 in compensation, a £95 victim surcharge and £620 in prosecution costs.

District Judge Andrew Davison also issued a 12-month restraining order, preventing him from directly contacting his now estranged wife.

Sentencing, he said: “This is a very sad incident but your behaviour was completely unacceptable - you slapped your wife.”

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