A birthday treat at a holiday lodge in rural mid Wales turned into chaos when a cocaine-fuelled argument left a woman being hit in the stomach and her partner with a gash to the head after a portable speaker was thrown at him.
Terance Judge, aged 35, was arrested and taken to hospital on his birthday after a 999 call reported that he threatened to use a knife against his girlfriend of four months at the holiday lodge in New Mills, near Tregynon where they had been staying for a romantic weekend getaway.
He pleaded guilty to assaulting his partner on October 8 by hitting her in the stomach, grabbing her hair and slapping her across the face.
The single father-of-two from Leeds, West Yorkshire, was told by Welshpool Magistrates’ Court that the prolonged assault on his former partner was serious enough for a 12-month community order and he must wear an alcohol abstinence tag for 90 days
Prosecutor Helen Tench told the court that Judge became "crazy, fuming, irrational" and made derogatory comments after he was asked by his then-girlfriend not to take a second amount of cocaine before threatening to "smash up" the car.
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Judge then kicked the door to the lodge and came "charging in" grabbing her hair. he slapped her face, tried to grab her phone, hit her stomach then "squared up to her" and spat on her top after she threw a portable speaker at his head in defence.
Several 999 phone calls were made by the pair during the chaotic scene which included Judge "swearing aggressively" at the call handler, making a distress comment that blood was coming from his head and threatening to "smash her f***ing head in".
When Judge was arrested, he told one officer to "f*** off, you melt" and spat at the cage inside the police van.
His victim said in an impact statement read by the prosecutor in court that the incident was "upsetting and scary". She said: "I am worried of repercussions. The relationship is now over, and I want to move on without fear and conflict."
Owain Jones, defending, told the court that his client admitted assault and two counts of criminal damage but not using or threatening to use a knife.
He said: "They both drank and took drugs, and it got the better of him. It’s clear he acted on impulse.
"Interestingly, it’s the defendant who comes off worse injury wise. He has a gash to the head, and he attended hospital.
"It’s a chaotic scene. You’ll have heard the defendant calls the police and she takes the call from him and says everything is alright and puts the phone down. It’s an odd situation where they both call the police.
"Nevertheless, I don’t want to diminish what my client has done. He accepts responsibility - he’s sorry and is embarrassed. He is a man of previous good character and has never acted like this before. He’s got a good work ethic. He’s a single father of two young boys. He’s got a lot going for him. He has supportive parents.
"Nearly eight months down the line, there have been no other incidents and a restraining order is not necessary."
As part of the 12-month community order for assault by beating, causing criminal damage to the lodge, and police van, Judge must complete 25 rehabilitation requirement days for his cocaine use, wear a tag, and pay £555 in compensation to the lodge's owner Peter Cordingley.
Magistrates decided not to impose a restraining order because they did not find it "proportionate", and refused to award compensation to Ms Armitage "as it could inflame the relationship again".
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