To think this example of domestic violence has not been treated seriously enough

[SpaceRangerMummy]

A footballer pleaded guilty to assaulting his girlfriend and the judge says he is facing a community penalty.

guardian link

The judge had been shown cctv footage the man beating his girlfriend on several occasions that night and kicking her. Presumably incontrovertible evidence.

I am surprised that domestic violence caught on camera - repeated incidents by the sounds of it - would receive a community sentence.

Surely domestic abuse should fall at the serious end of assault, given the vulnerability of an abused person in that scenario, and the psychological impact, even if physical injuries were minimal.

I wonder if comments are allowed given this is pre sentencing. Will report.

Yanbu and it really should carry the same weight as any assaults however I think domestic violence is seem as a lesser crime, and just some thing that happens

I think that Liverpool FC should terminate the player's contract.

Surely domestic abuse should fall at the serious end of assault

It absolutely should. It doesn't.

It is a lesser crimes because it is just a woman. If he had beaten up a more precious man he would have been. Women are expendable.

Surely domestic abuse should fall at the serious end of assault

I know saying that sounds really naive. I assumed problems with prosecuting were around victims not reporting, not wanting to give statements, evidence being questionnable etc. This was on CCTV and pretty nasty by the sounds of it. That's where my disappointment comes in.

I think also the judge will have deemed it really awful to ruin diddums career.

And prob has sent him on a domestic abuser programme which evidentially never works

To be honest, given that I read a news story today about a bloke who has been convicted of killing three different partners, I'm really not fucking surprised.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jan/02/man-pleads-guilty-murdering-ex-girlfriend-angela-best-theodore-johnson

Sentencing guidelines really revolve around the severity of the violence and injuries sustained. They also make it clear that it is not less serious than assaults which are non-domestic and frequently have aggravating factors which make it worse.

Presumably his GF was uninjured, he has no previous convictions and plead guilty. So they would have to sentence within the guidelines.

I wonder how do they assess psychological injury. Do they take into account the nature of abusive relationships - the long term impact of violence in an intimate relationship.

That it is domestic violence should definitely be an aggravating factor in itself my mind.
It shouldn't be sentenced like any other assault. Unless we pretend we know nothing about domestic violence.

Just ranting in a tired way now.

gobby I couldn't even read the whole article you linked. Which is a disservice to those women. I will go back and read at some point.

I hope Liverpool sack him

Blame the CPS, not the District Judge.

She has to sentence within the guidelines and for common assault - the least serious from of assault - a community sentence is as high as she can go.

He should have been charged with a.b.h. - but the CPS don't like a.b.h. because if the plea is not guilty the defendant is entitled to trial by jury which costs more.

So time and again magistrates and District Judges see cases brought as common assault which should not be, and our hands, in this case the hands of the DJ, are tied.

Thanks Andrew, that makes sense of the judges comments. I thought magistrates could sentence up to 6 months (I may have got that wrong) - but would that only have been possible if it was a different charge then? I can stop blaming the DJ and be annoyed at CPS and/or sentencing guidelines!