A MAN who bundled a woman into the boot of a car and later struck her with a baseball bat has been jailed for three years.

Scott Graham Meyers, aged 31, was sentenced at Dorchester Crown Court after being found guilty following a trial of an offence of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The offence related to an incident in the Bridport and Lyme Regis area on Christmas Eve last year when Meyers and the victim, who were friends, had been out drinking.

The jury in the trial heard that in a statement to police the victim described how they had got into an argument on the way back from Bridport to the defendant’s then address in Lyme Regis.

She told police that she had been struck several times and Meyers had stopped the car on several occasions, putting her into the boot of the car on one of those occasions.

When they were back at the flat the victim described being struck by a baseball bat, although she said it may have been accidental.

When she appeared at court to give evidence, the victim tried to steer away from her original statement and told the court she could not remember the evidence or being interviewed by police.

Meyers denied punching her, putting her in the boot of the car or hitting her with the baseball bat but was found guilty by the jury.

At the sentencing hearing the court was told that Meyers, of no fixed abode, had previously been given custodial sentences for assault occasioning actual bodily harm in 2005, 2006 and 2008.

Tim Shorter, mitigating, described the circumstances of the case as ‘rather unusual’ and added that his client had been out of trouble so far as violent offences were concerned for a considerable length of time.

Recorder James Waddington told the defendant that despite the victim’s failure to follow up her original statement at trial and her reluctance to give evidence, he had to consider what it was Meyers had actually done.

He told the defendant “I have to consider not just her feelings but what you did to her in the context of the interests of the wider community.

“In other words, others who may be assaulted by you next time you lose your temper in drink.”

Recorder Waddington told Meyers he considered him to be a ‘dangerous offender’ and added he had been assessed as posing a high risk of committing further offences of violence.

He added that the offence was ‘greatly aggravated’ by Meyers’ previous record of violence.

Meyers was sentenced to three years in prison with an extended licence period of two years.

Speaking after the case, Detective Constable Declan Cummings, of Weymouth CID, said: “Scott Meyers was responsible for a brutal and violent attack in which he hit and punched his victim before forcing her into the boot of his car. He then drove the woman back to his flat and hit her in the face with a baseball bat.

“I am pleased with the verdict of the jury and hope this will serve as a very strong warning to Meyers and abusers like him that this type of violent behaviour will not be tolerated in Dorset. You will be caught and brought to justice.”