Chesterfield man kicked his partner to the chin with “maximum force”, court hears

Robert Rawson, 28, had drunk three cans of caffeinated alcohol drink Dragon Soop when the awful battering unfolded in July this year.

A prosecutor told Derby Crown Court how on July 21 the defendant was drinking with his girlfriend of three months when she asked him to slow down with the booze.

"(The victim) said alcohol changed the defendant and he became really loud. she asked him to stop,” said the prosecutor.

The court heard Rawson was asked to leave and headbutted a door before “swinging” for the victim.

He then “dragged” her outside and punched her to the right side of the face “multiple times”.

As the victim struck Rawson back to defend herself he pinned her to the floor, punching her “multiple times” to the front and back of the head.

He bit her to the upper arm and middle finger before grabbing her by the hair and delivering a “volley” with maximum force to the woman’s chin.

After Rawson’s arrest the victim withdrew support for a prosecution, however months later he attacked the same woman again outside a pub while her child was present.

Describing the incident, the prosecutor said: “The defendant approached her and an argument began so (the victim) took her child inside the pub.

"The defendant threw a bottle of Desperado at her which smashed on the floor. He threw a market table twice before he punched her.”

As the victim fell to the floor and lay in the smashed glass, Rawson kicked her to the head and attacked a female friend who came to her aid, punching her to the back of the neck."

The court heard how, prior to the three assaults on the two women, In January Rawson attacked a shopkeeper in Chesterfield’s Market Place.

After accusing the newsagent of staring at him, Rawson delivered punches and hit the victim over the head with a bottle of cider.

Rawson, of Wordsworth Road, Newbold, admitted assault with actual bodily harm and assault by beating.

He had a long record of previous offences, including arson and exposure, the court heard.

The defendant's barrister said his client suffered with mental health difficulties which had never been addressed in the community.

However he had been engaging with work around alcohol management while on remand in custody.

Judge Jonathan Bennett told him: “Over the space of 11 months you have committed serious offences of violence.

"You have an unenviable record and you are very close to me regarding you as someone who poses a significant risk to others in regard to getting an extended sentence.”

Rawson was jailed for three years and one month and handed a four-year restraining order.