Derbyshire man’s violent attack on partner overheard by 999 call-handler

Wayne Bradley's partner rang police because 'she knew what was inevitably coming' after he argued with a neighbour on November 25, last year, said prosecutor Luc Chignall.

"At the climax of an argument he turned to violence," he said. "They were in the bathroom when he grabbed her by the hair and hit her in the face.

"She fell to the floor and crouched down telling him to stop, while screaming and crying. Nevertheless he continued."

Bradley, aged 41, shoved her so his partner hit her head on the bathroom floor while they were locked in the bathroom together.

He pulled her to her feet and expressed 'nasty threats’, saying 'he would kill her, then go to prison and come out and kill her again’.

Bradley was holding her by the mouth so she couldn't breathe when he slammed her head against the tiles - leaving a lump on the left side of her head.

He told her to go and tidy her hair up and, if the police came, to tell them nothing, Nottingham Crown Court heard.

"He returned to the bathroom and warned her not to say anything again," Mr Chignall added.

Bradley, who has no previous convictions, denied the offence in a prepared statement. The court heard no application was made for a restraining order, but a domestic violence protection order was made against him in 2020.

Matthew Smith, mitigating, said: "It was clearly a very difficult relationship. Both of the participants had a number of issues that impacted on their relationship.”

He said the mother of Bradley’s five children ‘died in incredibly tragic circumstances’ in 2018, and the attack was ‘triggered by references to sentimental items he had kept from this relationship’.

“He was drinking to excess,” Mr Smith said. “He spent three days in custody. It's the last place he wants to return to.”

Bradley, of Langwith Road, Langwith Junction, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and making threats to kill, at an earlier hearing.

On Tuesday, Recorder Penelope Stanistreet-Keen imposed a 13-month sentence, suspended for two years, with 35 rehabilitation days and a nine-month alcohol treatment programme.

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