Jealous thug struck partner on head with varnish bottle during 'drunken row'

A jealous thug who struck his partner on the head with a nail varnish bottle during a ‘drunken row’ has avoided jail.

Robert Toward attacked the victim on the evening of November 24 last year.

Police were called to Belfield Road in Accrington after the victim called a friend for help.

Officers found the pair outside where she had an injury to her temple and ‘had bled quite extensively’.

Prosecutor Charles Brown told Burnley Crown Court how Toward told officers ‘I’m the innocent party, she tried to stab me’ and showed them a small scratch mark on his stomach.

Toward, 37, was found guilty after a trial at Blackburn Magistrates Court of ABH.

He was given a 10-month jail sentence, suspended for two years with a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement, a six-month alcohol treatment requirement and ordered to pay £340 costs.

Mr Brown said the victim was spoken to and was ‘definitely worse for wear for drink at the time’.

The court heard that she had an argument with Toward because he was jealous of her speaking to the partner of a friend.

Toward hit her on the head with the small varnish bottle and also came out of the kitchen holding a knife, the hearing was told.

Mr Brown said he put it towards his stomach and cut himself saying “I’m going to show you” as a way of trying to ‘cast blame onto the victim’.

The court heard how Toward, of Southgate, Whitworth, was previously given a suspended sentence in 2011 for ABH against another partner.

Toward, representing himself at court, said he would pose no risk of re-offending if he got help for his alcohol problems’.

He said: “I was in a seven-year relationship with this woman. It’s over.

“When we had a drink we were bad together. She’s still my best friend and will always be my best friend.

“I don’t deserve to go to prison. I’m a hard-working person. I need to see somebody about drinking. That’s my weakness.”

Judge Andrew Woolman said it was becoming a ‘concerning’ pattern and the next time he would get an immediate prison sentence.

He said: “You got into a drunken row with your ex. It’s not entirely clear who started it but during the course of it you hit her with a nail varnish bottle. It must have been quite a hard blow because it cut her to the forehead and she bled a lot.”