Derbyshire man jailed for savage attack on former partner who was recovering from cancer

Liam Andrew Potts had been in a relationship with the woman for around 18 months until October last year, and had resumed in January until June 8 2020, when the incident had occurred at the woman’s home, Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court was told on Wednesday, September 2.

Prosecuting, Becky Allsop said that Potts, 27, of Meadow Close, Dove Holes, Buxton, had a previous domestic violence conviction against another woman dating back to 2017.

She said: “The victim suspected that he had been messaging other women and she checked his mobile phone and this proved to be the case.

“He grabbed her by the throat and threw her backwards over the vacuum cleaner where she hit her head on the floor,” she said.

“He tried to look at her mobile phone, saying ‘what’s on here?’ but when she refused to give him the passcode he stamped on it

“He then pushed her into her child’s room which, luckily, wasn’t at home, and pushed her face into the wall and punched her. Then suddenly he appeared shocked and tried to hug her but she told him to leave and that the relationship was over.

“In a victim impact statement, the victim said she felt genuinely in fear for her life and she didn’t know whether he would stop. She had to leave the house to stay with a friend who is a nurse, and when she took her blood pressure she was worried that she might have a concussion. She had been treated for stage four cervical cancer and she says that he is well aware that a blow to the abdomen could have led to major surgery.”

Potts admitted assault and criminal damage when he appeared before the court.

Mitigating, James Riley said: “This is a young man who has no other criminality in his life. He realises that there is no excuse for his behaviour. He is 27 years old but he does seem to have a very immature attitude towards relationships.”

He also handed up character references for Potts from his employers and the victim of his first domestic violence conviction, with whom he has two children, and argued that the defendant should not be jailed because he is in stable employment.

Sentencing Potts to 18 weeks in prison, District Judge Jonathan Taaffe said: “This was violence against a very vulnerable lady who has had stage four cancer and she must have been fearful for her life.

This clearly is a case where the court has a clear public duty to impose a prison sentence. It would be difficult to find a more extreme case of domestic violence, considering the condition of the lady in question.

He also issued a three-year restraining order and ordered Potts to pay a £128 victim surcharge.

His defence lawyer then lodged an appeal against the severity of the sentence which will be heard by Derby Crown Court at a later date. An application to allow Potts to remain on bail was rejected.

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