A MAN who assaulted his teenage girlfriend on Valentine’s Day after telling her he had cheated on her has been jailed.

Members of the public stepped in to stop Haydn Andrews as he went to bang the 17-year-old girl’s head on to the pavement.

And the 23-year-old thug, who has a history of domestic violence, then went on to attack the vulnerable girl on two more occasions while on bail.

Andrews, who the court was told works for Wiltshire Council, was appearing before Swindon Crown Court to appeal against the six-month jail term he was given by magistrates.

Fern Russell, for the Crown, said the first incident took place outside the train station on February 14.

Members of the public had to step in to stop Andrews as he was bashing the vulnerable teenager’s head on the pavement.

The couple had just got off the train at about 6pm and were arguing when he told her he had cheated on her. She tried to get away but he followed after in the darkness, shouting at her, outside the car park to the Great Western Hotel.

As she tried to cross the road he grabbed her and when he stopped her breaking free she slapped him round the face.

He chased her from Alexander Road on to Station Road grabbing her to the back of the throat and pulling her to the ground and trying to bang her head on the pavement.

A number of passers-by stepped in to stop the attack and although the police arrived the victim at that stage did not make a formal complaint.

However as there were witnesses Andrews was charged and a few weeks later, while on bail, he launched two attacks in 48 hours.

On Friday, March 24, he went to her flat having been drinking and threatened to kill her before pinning her to the bed and punching her in the face.

And two days later they had again been out when he accused her of talking to another man when she fled to call for help.

After chasing her he threatened to knock her out before again, repeatedly, grabbing her by the throat.

Miss Russell said after the third incident the victim now supported the prosecution as she was ‘sick of being beaten up by Mr Andrews’.

Andrews, formerly of Curtis Street, Swindon, but now of Westcroft, Chippenham, admitted three counts of common assault and one of criminal damage.

Moses Tawo, defending, said their relationship was ‘alcohol based’ and during the few weeks he had spent in custody he had been trying to improve himself.

He said he had booked holiday off work from his job as a Wiltshire Council bin man and risked losing it if he wasn’t able to go back to work.

But Judge Robert Pawson, sitting with a magistrate, rejected the appeal keeping the jail sentence at 26 weeks, also imposed a restraining order banning Andrews from contacting the victim for two years.

  • Wiltshire Council has asked us to point out that Andrews does not, in fact, work for the council, either directly or indirectly.