Cocaine-taking Leeds thug 'lost it' and strangled ex in front of children
An angry drug-taking thug “lost it” and strangled his ex in front of her children when she dared to talk back to him, a court heard.
Reece Askin attacked the woman and left her with a suspected fractured jaw during the domestic bust-up. Appearing at Leeds Crown Court this week he admitted a charge of ABH and intentional strangulation.
Prosecutor Lily Wildman said the couple had been together for around five years and have a child together, but that ended around three years ago. She has a child from a previous relationship. On January 21 this year it was agreed he could stay at her address in the Alverthorpe area of Wakefield.
When she arrived home at around 3.30pm from the school run he was still in bed and could be heard shouting at her. When she responded, he became angry and said: “Who the f*** are you speaking to?” He then called her a “sl*g”.
The arguing continued and he then picked up a wax melt burner and threw it at her, but it missed. She became concerned for the safety of the children but Askin grabbed her forcefully around the throat with two hands and held her for around 10 seconds.
She was able to free herself and run upstairs, but was followed by 27-year-old Askin who continued to try and grab her again by the throat.
He left the house, locked the door and took the keys with him. She then called the police. She went to A&E and it was suspected she may have fractured her chin, but did not attend a follow-up scan.
Askin, of no fixed address, has nine previous convictions for 14 offences. Mitigating, Eleanor Mitten said he was “appalled” by his own behaviour.
She said a significant part of his offending was while he was taking cocaine and cannabis. She added that his time spent on remand had helped him get free of drugs and “had a lot of time to think about his behaviour”.
She added: “He is very keen to remain free of drugs when he is released from prison.”
Judge Mushtaq Khokhar said the fact he committed the offences while under the influence of drugs “made it worse”. He added: “It’s clear the relationship had come to an end some three years previously.
“You lost it, it seems. There are no mitigating features in this case. It all took place in the presence of two children.”
He gave him an 18-month sentence, but suspended it for two years. Askin, appearing over the video link from HMP Leeds, was visibly emotional when the sentence was passed.
He was told he must also complete a domestic violence awareness course, 15 rehabilitation days and 200 hours of of unpaid work. He was also given a restraining order of indefinite length.