Jealous Wolverhampton man, 37, assaulted ex-partner
A jealous ex-boyfriend assaulted his former partner and plagued her with texts and calls after she ended their seven-year relationship.
John Spicer kept up his relentless campaign for a month, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told, even lying in wait outside her Wolverhampton home in the early hours of the morning after he had been warned by police to stay away.
On October 12 last year the 37-year-old accused her of smiling at another man and later snatched her bag before grabbing her round the neck, said Mr Thomas Griffiths, prosecuting.
Later in the bedroom Spicer pushed her to the floor and and went to grab her around the neck again. A week later she was returning to her home when he appeared from behind a bin, punched her several times in the face, knocking her over.
Depression
Between the two attacks Spicer had plagued her with more than 100 calls and texts. When he had turned up at her home, he was breaking a condition of his police bail.
Defending Spicer, Amy Jackson said he was badly affected by the death of his father and a great-uncle and had started to suffer mental health issues, leading to a diagnosis of severe depression and anxiety which prevented him from working. He had now accepted the relationship was over and was preparing to move to Cardiff where his brother lived, the court heard.
Spicer, of Cullwick Street, Priestfield, Wolverhampton, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault and one of stalking.
He was sentenced to 36 weeks in jail suspended for two years on condition that he undergo 20 days rehabilitation activities. He was also ordered to carry out 150 hours unpaid work and was put under a three-year restraining order.
