Woman left 'looking like Frankenstein' after abusive Leeds partner glassed her during Christmas row

The victim said she had been scarred for life after 40-year-old Wayne Thomas, who has a history of violence towards women, thrust the glass towards her leaving deep lacerations to her arm. She was left with a damaged tendon in her hand meaning she is still unable to fully look after herself or her children, Leeds Crown Court was told.

Thomas admitted section 20 GBH, but maintains he only meant to throw the wine over her, rather than injure her with the glass. The judge, the Recorder of Leeds Guy Kearl KC said it made little difference whether it was “intentional or reckless” as he jailed Thomas for 30 months.

Prosecutor Bashir Ahmed said the couple were in a relationship for three years, but he gradually became more violent towards her. Previous reports had been made to the police about him punching her in the face and had broken her nose, although no prosecution was brought forward.

She said he would become aggressive after taking cannabis and drinking, and was controlling, telling her what to wear and “how she goes about her daily activities”, Mr Ahmed added.

The had spent last Christmas together with her two children, but on Boxing Day the couple got into an argument over a TV she had bought the children as a present. When he became verbally abusive, she slapped him so he picked up the wine glass and lunged towards her.

The broken shards sliced open her arm in several places. She rang 999 and the police and an ambulance arrived, taking to her hospital. She later told police that she had blocked the glass with her arm to prevent it hitting her head.

In a victim impact statement read out by Mr Ahmed, the woman said she is permanently scarred and still unable to carry out every-day functions with her hand remaining in a splint. She said: “I look like Frankenstein. I’m in constant pain and the pain killers do nothing. I feel traumatised by what what happened that night.”

Thomas, of St Wilfrid’s Avenue, Gipton, has previous convictions for domestic violence dating back to 2009, with charges brought against him for attacks on his three previous partners. Mitigating, Derek Duffy said it was “clear that he has deep-seated problems” and that he had already spent two months on remand at HMP Leeds.

Recorder Kearl told Thomas: “You have a long history of violence in a domestic setting. There’s a clear pattern of your offending that involved those who you are in a relationship with. You have assaulted, abused and coerced your last three partners.

"You used a glass on your partner and you are responsible for the injuries caused. Whether it was intentional or reckless is doesn’t matter. The injuries are serious. You have little insight into your behaviour even after so many offences.”

Thomas was given a restraining order of indefinite length to keep him away from the victim.