A MAN stole a bottle of prosecco in a bid to woo a woman he had dated - before beating and stamping on her in a ‘shocking’ attack after she rejected his advances.

Ryan Griffin, aged 33, entered two properties in North Allington, Bridport while high on drugs and drunk, and stole a number of electrical items on Sunday, July 4.

Bournemouth Crown Court heard how he ‘raided a fridge’ and stole a bottle of prosecco from another property to offer a woman he had previously dated.

Prosecuting, James Wing, said: “The defendant was ringing and knocking on her door.

“She came downstairs and not very keen to see him. They had been in a relationship for two weeks and no way enthusiastic about rekindling the relationship.

“She told him she wasn’t interested and shut the door and he carried on knocking on the door.”

After she opened the door again, he offered the stolen bottle of prosecco in a bid to reconcile – but turned violent when she rejected him.

Mr Wing said: “He grabbed her around the neck, pushed her against the wall, held her, squeezing her neck for a few seconds.

“It is that point that the victim, who previously was in a relationship with domestic abuse, laughed at him and said ‘is that the best you got’.

“He lost his temper and punched her and she fell.

“He kicked her while down and stamped on her head while she was defenceless.

“She ran away into the house and called the police. He threw the stolen prosecco through her window.”

The female victim suffered a number of injuries, including pain to her head, jaw as well as tenderness to her ear.

Griffin’s attack on the victim was described as a ‘persistent assault’. Griffin had previously been convicted for domestic assault, along with a number of burglaries, public order offences and being drunk and disorderly, the court heard.

Griffin, of Princess Road, Bridport, pleaded guilty to assaulting a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm, criminal damage to property and two counts of burglary with intent to steal.

Defending, Robert Gray, told the court how Griffin had been in prison since his arrest and has had ‘a time of reflection’ on his criminal behaviour.

Mr Gray said: “He realises he must help himself. Prison has made him think of his drugs and drinks problem and he’s been without it for a long time.

“He’s been without it since July 5 and wants to maintain that. He has a 11-year-old from previous relationship.

“He speaks to him regularly and over the last seven weeks in custody is that he wants to be a better father for that boy. He recognises that in order to do this, he needs to stay off drink.

“It has been a wake up call for him.”

He added: “He has expressed remorse in the pre-sentence report and he’s asked me he is sorry for the offences, sorry for the victim he had a brief relationship with and the burglary victims.”

Griffin, who worked as a plasterer before being arrested, has been told he can return to his job when he has left prison.

Sentencing, Judge Brian Forster QC, noted the ‘shocking’ assault on the victim was exacerbated by his intoxicated state.

He said: “The circumstances are these – at the time you were affected by a combination of drugs and drink and your judgement was clearly impaired.

“The abuse was committed against someone you had once had a relationship with. You were making yourself a nuisance and another person came into harm.

“You grabbed her, you punched her and when she went to the ground, you kicked and stamped on her.

“Clearly such behaviour is shocking and should never taken place. She has suffered bruising and pain and her confidence would have been affected.”

Griffin was sentenced two years in prison, including 12-months for the assault and 12-month concurrent sentences for the burglaries.

He was also issued a five-year restraining order against contacting the victim and ordered to pay a £156 victim surcharge.

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