Boyfriend jailed after iron attack on partner at Bilston home

John Lake left Rachel Hickman bleeding and battered on the bathroom floor of their Bilston home before throwing her telephone into bushes and driving off in her car.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard Lake 'went off like a bottle of pop' following an argument with Miss Hickman.

The 35-year-old set about vandalising her home, pulling the TV off the wall, throwing things and knocking down the Christmas tree.

He also damaged items which belonged to her three children. Lake, of Rocket Pool Drive, in Bilston, had denied wounding Miss Hickman but was found guilty after a trial.

Mr Timothy Sapwell, prosecuting, told the court Miss Hickman had to undergo surgery to rebuild her fractured cheekbone and her nose had to be rebroken. She was left needed stitches near to her eye.

In a witness impact statement, the court heard she believed she was going to die.

The attack, on December 23 last year, had left her feeling her children would 'not have a mother for Christmas', said Mr Sapwell.

Recorder Peter Cook said: "You demonstrated your rage as you then started to bang her head repeatedly against the TV screen.

"You then dragged her up the stairs and it was there that matters became very serious indeed.

"There were two savage blows as you deliberately punched her full in the face breaking her nose. You then reached for the iron that was in the bathroom and you struck her hard in the face breaking her cheekbone.

"She has been left with a permanent mark to her face because of the underlying damage. I have no doubt she was genuinely fearful you would end her life that night. It was a sustained assault and an aggravating feature is that you have used violence to a partner in the past."

The Recorder added it was an extremely serious case as it took place in the victim's home. He also made a restraining order forbidding Lake from going near Miss Hickman in the future.