Man spared jail after holding wife under water during canal assault

Kevin Moore pushed his wife into the Wyrley and Essington Canal after the couple started arguing following hours of drinking, a court was told

But he only released his grip and dragged his wife out of the cold water when he was spotted “crouching” by the canal.

Sentencing at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Judge Nicholas Webb said: “Your problem has been drink and that problem was highlighted in October last year.

"You pushed her into a cold canal. That was an unpleasant and unfortunate thing to happen.

"It may be that you didn’t intend to push her into the canal. But once in there, you held her under for some little while.”

The couple started drinking at 5am before heading to Wednesfield’s The Royal Tiger pub on October 22 last year.

They left at noon and strolled along the canal towpath before getting into an argument, with Moore pushing his wife with “some force” into the water.

A passer-by then spotted the 58-year-old, of Lakefield Road, Wolverhampton, holding his wife by the shoulders “for a significant amount of time”.

Submerged

Prosecutor Mr Hugh O’Brien Quinn said: “The victim was fully submerged and desperately kicking her legs, trying to free herself.

Moore told police his wife, who was left with bruises and “gripping injuries”, fell into the water and he tried to rescue her.

His wife had claimed she was “screaming” to go home after getting out of water.

Defence barrister Mr Mark Hemming said Moore, who has been out of trouble since 2006, has been tackling his “alcohol addiction” while in custody. The couple have since reunited.

Moore was initially charged with attempted murder but this was later dropped by the prosecution, the court heard on Tuesday.

The defendant, who admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm, was handed a 15-month sentence, suspended for two years.

He was ordered to pay a £140 victim surcharge and made subject to a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.