Thug jailed for knocking girlfriend unconscious in the middle of the road

A thug who knocked his partner unconscious in the middle of the road after an argument has been jailed.
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Matthew James Robinson hit the woman during a "cowardly attack" before carrying her to the pavement.

CCTV was shown to Leeds Crown Court this morning from the attack on Barnsley Road, Moorthorpe in the early hours of April 20 this year.

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Prosecutor Carmel Pearson screened the 18-minute-long footage , which shows Robinson following the woman, with whom he had been in a relationship for around a month, and remonstrating with her.

The attack happened on Barnsley Road.The attack happened on Barnsley Road.
The attack happened on Barnsley Road.

He is then seen to hit her before she falls to the floor motionless. He is then seen taking a swing at her with his foot, but failed to connect.

He then picked her up and laid her on the path.

Robinson's mother is then seen approaching them, but walks away minutes later.

The victim finally gets to her feet but once again is pursued by Robinson.

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Robinson, 31, of Potovens Lane, Outwood, was arrested at the scene and gave no comment during his police interview.

He denied a charge of intending to cause grievous bodily harm, but accepted a lesser charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, which was accepted by the Crown.

The victim suffered only minor injuries and the court was told she did not support the prosecution, claiming she deserved to have been attacked.

This was rejected by the Crown as mitigation, saying this kind of response was common in domestic violence cases.

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The court was told that Robinson has 52 convictions for 93 offences, including violence, arson, criminal damage and burglary.

Prior to today's sentencing he was being held on remand at HMP Leeds.

Mitigating, Christopher Morton, said the couple had been drinking at Robinson's mother's house that day, and argument had broken out and the woman walked out of he house towards the railway station.

Robinson said he walked after her to persuade her to come back, telling her there would be no trains at that time of night.

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Mr Morton said that Robinson's grandmother had died that month that had left him depressed, but added: "He accepts his conduct was totally unacceptable. He did express remorse, it was late in the day but it is genuine."

Recorder Anesh Pema jailed him for 15 months, and said: "I have watched the video and and you were corralling her.

"Then as she walks away you conduct a cowardly assault.

"You knock her unconscious in the middle of the road, you pick up and put her on the pavement, but you do not call an ambulance or do anything to help her."

Referring to the kick directed towards the victim, Recorder Pema said: "By good fortune you failed to make contact with her.

"Had you done so the injuries would have been far more significant."