Girlfriend's plea saves attacker from prison

A man who battering his girlfriend twice in one day escaped being jailed after she wrote to a court asking for him not to be sent to prison.
Blackpool Magistrates CourtBlackpool Magistrates Court
Blackpool Magistrates Court

Jack Wileman, who had nine previous convictions for assault, punched her twice in the back of the head and later thumped her in the face.

Despite his treatment of her a court heard his girlfriend did not want him to go to prison and she described him as a good dad.

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Wileman, 25, of Martindale Avenue, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to two assaults.

He was sentenced to six weeks’ prison suspended for 12 months with 20 days’ rehabilitation to be supervised by the Probation Service and ordered to pay his partner £50 compensation with £45 costs plus £115 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Presiding magistrate, Gordon Elliman, told Wileman: “Because of the letter we received from your partner we are suspending your sentence. If it were not for her you would be going to prison.”

Jim Mowbray, said Wileman called his partner names and accused her of sleeping with one of his friends before punching her twice on April 20.

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Later she told him to come to their home and collect his belongings. He then punched her in the face.

The prosecutor said: “She says their relationship is over. She does not want a restraining order against him. She says she would hate him to go to prison as she would feel bad for the children.”

Patrick Nelligan, defending, said Wileman had mental health issues and had been diagnosed with psychosis, depression and anxiety.