West Midlands Police officer in court for alleged assault

Spencer Mabley was rowing with his then partner outside his home and left 'substantial bruising' on her hands and arms as he tried to get her back inside, according to the prosecution.

The 44-year-old told the victim he would 'drag her inside by her hair' during the argument, prosecutor Mr Mouzam Razaq said.

Mr Razaq said the incident began at Mabley's former home in Chaplain Road, Cannock, when an argument started about who the victim had been away with for the weekend.

He said: "In early 2018 there were a few break-ups between the two, it was an on-off relationship at that point.

"It's alleged that on May 15 after the complainant had been away for the weekend she is at the defendant's address, they have both had a few drinks and the defendant is alleged to have started questioning the victim about the weekend, asking who she had gone away with.

"She said the conversation was developing into a heated argument and the defendant blocked her from leaving the settee.

"She leaves the address and he follows her and brings her back into the address.

"She gets into her car and the defendant is alleged to have made comments such as if she didn't get out he'd drag her out.

"It's alleged he takes the keys, drags her out of the vehicle and into the property. She struggles and suffers substantial bruising.

"She remains at the address that night and arrives at the police station the next morning."

The victim took to the stand and said Mabley told her he wanted to 'hit my ex husband in the chest so as to cause a heart attack'.

"He said he knew how to do it," she added. "I went to get off the settee and he blocked me.

"I went to the kitchen and he said that he wanted to take my head off my shoulders and bend me up like a pretzel.

"I grabbed my keys and phone and I ran up the road and he ran after me.

"I got in my car as a place of safety. Spencer was trying to twist off my wing mirror, I started up the engine to put the window down a fraction to talk to him and he put his arms in and opened up the window.

"I said I would sleep in the car and he said he'd drag me in by my hair if I didn't get out.

"I got out and walked back up the road. He grabbed hold of my left hand then came at me from behind and forced me to bend down and forced me to go back to his house."

The victim showed Mabley's father her bruises the next day and he said 'the trouble is, if you go to the police he will lose his job', according to the victim.

Mabley, now of Fremantle Drive, Cannock, denies one charge of assault by beating. The court heard the actions he took were to stop his partner drink driving and he was acting in self defence.

Miss Eva Niculiu, defending Mabley, said: "The main cause of the argument was that you were accusing him of being unfaithful.

"He told you to leave the house. You were attacking him, scratching and biting him.

"You told him you were going to drive away and he said you're drunk you can't. He only intervened physically when the lights and engine came on.

"You made this complaint to the police because you thought he had been unfaithful to you and you were angry.

"You have embellished what happened and you were in effect the aggressor."

The trial continues.