Violent thug jailed for attacking girlfriend with boiling water

Leeds Crown Court heard yesterday Jason Townend had already wounded Sonja Smith in the thigh with a pair of pliers in July last year when he fell out with her in February after he had been drinking.

She was boiling some water on the cooker and in temper he picked it up and threw it over her chest, face and neck, causing five per cent superficial partial thickness burns.

But Michael Smith prosecuting told the court that she did not immediately report that to the police only complaining weeks later after Townend had assaulted her twice more.

At the hospital she gave an account that a cat had scratched her leg causing her to spill the water over herself.

But later, after he punched her in the face causing her eyebrow to split and punched her on another occasion in the same month, she told police the truth about what he had done to her.

Townend, 24, of Waincliffe Place, Beeston, Leeds, admitted unlawful wounding, causing grievous bodily harm, assault causing actual bodily harm and common assault.

Jailing him Judge James Spencer QC said: “It is clear from the cases that bring you before this court that you are a violent man.

“You have treated your partner with contempt and with serious violence repeatedly.”

He told him there had to be a custodial sentence: “You must be punished so others understand they cannot behave like this.”

The court heard Townend had been attending courses in prison to address his behaviour and wanted to apologise to the complainant.