A GRIMSBY man has been jailed for a vicious and drunken attack on his then partner while on bail.
Gary Willerton, 36, of Hainton Avenue, tore into Cherylina Butler at their former home at the YMCA on June 5 this year, putting his hands around her throat and repeatedly punching her.
Grimsby Magistrates' Court heard that the attack, after the couple had been out drinking, left Ms Butler with cuts, bruises and damaged teeth.
Prosecuting, Nick Wyman said: "They had been out drinking and there was an argument when they got back to their shared accommodation.
"After the attack, he went to bed in an intoxicated state and she reported him to the police."
Mr Wyman said the victim was left "agitated and upset" and, following his arrest, Willerton maintained a "no comment" response but claimed he had no recollection of the incident.
The court heard that the couple's daughter was not present at the time of the attack and that the pair's relationship had now ended.
Willerton initially pleaded not guilty but changed his plea to guilty on November 7, five days before his trial.
Mitigating, Jade Taylor insisted Willerton's late plea was not a case where the defendant waited until his trial date to change his plea.
She told the court the defendant had problems with alcohol which he was working to address, and said he had fully accepted what he had done.
"Clearly this was a volatile relationship and the level of intoxication had caused him to have little recollection," she said.
"This offence goes back to June 5 and there has been some progress since then.
"The relationship has now ended and there have not been any further incidents since June. It seems that there has, in fact, been significant progress."
District Judge Daniel Curtis said Willerton's past record was an "unhelpful" one. It was not revealed what Willerton was on bail for.
"You inflicted this attack against the victim which was a very unpleasant act," he told the defendant.
"The fact that you were on bail at the time and your very late plea – which seems to me a consequence of you changing your mind at the last minute – gives you very little credit."
Willerton was unmoved as Judge Curtis sentenced him to 12 weeks in prison.
