Thomas Jennings, 30, carried out a sickening attack on his girlfriend in broad daylight in the middle of a residential street that left her bloodied and with a broken jaw
A violent thug beat his screaming girlfriend unconscious before kicking her in the middle of the road in horrifying doorbell footage.
Thomas Jennings, 30, savagely hit the woman during the “chilling” assault as he ordered her to “get in the car.” The attack happened in Harbreck Grove, Aintree, Merseyside, at about 11:15am on March 31.
Ring doorbell footage captured the moment the victim screamed at Kennings to “stop” as he pummelled her about the face before dragging her to the ground. He then delivered a kick to the head, knocking her unconscious and leaving her with a broken jaw and eye socket.
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He left her lying motionless in the street as he stormed off, and threatened to burn down a stranger’s house as he walked away from the scene of his “cowardly” attack, reports the LiverpoolEcho. He appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday, August 14, when he pleaded guilty to causing bodily harm with intent.
Prosecutor Ken Grant told the court how Jennings, of no fixed address, though from Walton, attacked his then-girlfriend Paula Ricardson “on a residential street in broad daylight” in an incident which was captured by a Ring doorbell camera. He was seen repeatedly striking his partner “without hesitation.”
He also made threats towards one witness, Helen Noble, during the incident, and told her: “If you filmed me, I’ll f****** burn your house down.” Bystanders rushed to the victim’s defence and she was soon taken to Aintree Hospital’s A&E department bloodied, with facial injuries, including a gash to the head.
She was found to have suffered a fractured jaw and right eye socket, requiring surgery and being left with issues with her vision. The incident resulted in a police appeal after the footage was widely circulated on social media.
The court was told about Jennings’s lengthy criminal record, with 36 convictions for 64 offences. These include a 34-month sentence for possession of class A drugs with intent to supply at Preston Crown Court in 2014, 16 months for a domestic assault in 2018 and 92 months for firearms offences in 2020.
Julian Nutter defending said: “We have a defendant here who has suffered mental health issues over a number of years, which may or may not have been drug related. We have a defendant who, for the first time, has been demonstrating remorse and has put forward an apology for what he has done.
“He is deeply ashamed for what he did to this lady. That is the first step on the road to reform, and he has taken it. What we have seen, there cannot be any excuse for. What he asked me to do is to repeat his apology, and that is the start of a very long path.”
Recorder Mark Bradshaw said: “This incident happened in the street in broad daylight. The footage we have all seen is, frankly, chilling… It was, in my judgement, a cowardly attack.” Jennings was jailed for four years, with an extended licence period of three years.”
For confidential support, call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Freephone Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit womensaid.co.uk. If you or your family have lost a friend or family member through fatal domestic abuse, AAFDA (Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse) can offer specialist and expert support and advocacy. For more info visit** www.aafda.org.uk**.