'Horrible' man assaulted victim and damaged her car after pursuit through Wolverhampton

Luke Bowdley, aged 22, of Wednesfield, was sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court after admitting two counts of assault of occasional actual bodily harm and criminal damage relating to two incidents last year. 

Judge Michael Chambers said: "I have to sentence you following your pleas of guilty for a series of domestic violence in effect. Assault committed in the context of domestic relationship are seen as more serious. This is such a case. Your behaviour was horrifying and terrifying." The judge said the defendant posed a risk to his partners. 

Mr Robert Holt, prosecuting, said the woman and the defendant had been in a relationship which was declining.  

He said they met up in a Bushbury car park on January 10 last year after arriving in separate vehicles after he pursued her car for 15 minutes and while there they got in an argument resulting in members of the public telling the defendant to "leave her alone".

Mr Holt said while the cars were parked side by side Bowdley threw a perfume bottle at the woman's car.

"He jumped on the bonnet of her car while brandishing a metal pole which he dug into the bonnet. She got out and told him to get off. He swung it at her and it hit her. She was lying on the ground and he was above her.

"He pulled her hair and hit her multiple times on the head and face, a man told him to leave her alone. He removed the keys from the ignition and took her phone. He  threw her keys into his car and tried to pull her into it, at which point two men shouted at the defendant. She grabbed he keys and left," Mr Holt said.

He said the "scared" woman eventually dialled 999 resulting in the defendant being arrested two weeks later following a West Midlands Police most 'wanted' appeal. Mr Holt said Bowdley was given police bail, but was again arrested in April after the woman reported that he had assaulted her in front of a relative and that suffered a split lip. 

In her impact statement the victim stated that the incident "terrified" her resulting in her relative describing Bowdley as an "horrible boy".

"He came into my house and assaulted me," she further stated.

The court heard that Bowdley, who had a previous conviction for handling stolen goods in 2019, was remorseful and accepted his actions were immature. The court also heard he had drug issues. 

For the offences Bowdler, of Gordon Rabbetts Crescent, Wednesfield, was jailed for a total of 30 months. He must serve at least half the sentence in custody before being released on licence. 

He was also made subject to a restraining order for five years preventing him from contacting the victim in any way.