A thug who broke his ex-partner's eye socket and then bombarded her with calls and messages, also threatening to harm her horses, has been jailed for 47 months. Dominic Peaty, 47, a JCB worker from Upper Tean, appeared at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court where he admitted a series of offences including grievous bodily harm, harassment, and witness intimidation.
Camping trip turned violent
The court heard that the couple went camping on August 24 last year. After the victim lost her phone, Peaty kicked her in the ribs. She returned home to pack a bag to go to a nearby pub for the night, but Peaty damaged items in her kitchen. The next day, he sent her a barrage of calls and messages, saying he felt like killing somebody and that he would park his car on her street. He asked her to rekindle the relationship and said, 'You will regret the day you met me'.
Relentless harassment
On September 14, he called her 42 times. When she answered, he shouted down the phone and sent messages including, 'You have gone too far, you nasty little rat', 'The best thing you can do is kill yourself', and 'I am going to ruin your life'. The victim later retracted her complaint, but on October 19, while out with Peaty and friends, she told him she wanted to go home. He called her a 'whore', took her phone, threw it on the floor and stamped on it. She ran off, but he caught her and punched her once to the face, causing a fractured eye socket and cheekbone. She received treatment at the Royal Stoke University Hospital.
Further threats and intimidation
On December 30, Peaty approached the victim at her workplace, shouting abuse. He continued to text and call her, and on January 5 he asked if she would retract her statement. When she refused, he said, 'I feel like smashing you. We are going to go to war. You will pay for this'. He sent further messages and threatened her horses. The victim received over 100 calls from him between then and the end of January.
In a victim statement, the woman said Peaty's behaviour has affected every aspect of her life. She is scared, constantly anxious, and struggles to eat and sleep. She said: 'I am scared for my life. Nobody has got the right to cause me such anxiety.'
Sentencing
Peaty pleaded guilty to common assault, two charges of criminal damage, inflicting grievous bodily harm, harassment, stalking causing fear of violence, and witness intimidation. His barrister, Paul Cliff, said Peaty has been negatively impacted by alcohol but has always worked and lost his job at JCB when remanded in custody. Judge Richard McConaghy imposed a 10-year restraining order and jailed Peaty for 47 months, telling him: 'The victim was your partner. She should have been able to trust you. But instead I am dealing with a case in which you have subjected her to the threat of physical violence and the use of physical violence.' Peaty will serve half the sentence in custody with the rest on licence.
