A UTTOXETER man grabbed the mother of his children by her arms and pushed into a vehicle because she was drunk, a court has heard.
Lance Wells, of Holly Road, admitted assaulting Deborah Selman on October 13 after an argument over her drinking.
Andrew Bodger, prosecuting, told Burton Magistrates’ Court the incident was reported to police by witnesses who knew the victim after seeing the defendant near the post office, in Windsor Road.
The witness saw the Jeep drive past which she knew to belong to Ms Selman and then heard the victim scream and, after speaking to her husband, they contacted the police.
However, the court heard Ms Selman is not supporting the prosecution but officers noticed a small red mark where she was grabbed.
Mr Bodger said Wells woke up to find the victim asleep on the sofa knowing she had been drunk the night before.
They had an argument and he asked her to leave, which she did, but he became concerned and followed her in the car. He pulled up beside her and asked her to get in the car.
Wells accepts he manhandled Ms Selman to get her into the driver’s seat and then pushed her into the passenger seat but she tried to open the door as the vehicle was moving.
They calmed down when they both got to the house. The 45-year-old has no previous convictions.
Neil O’Driscoll, defending, said they had been in a relationship for 22 years and had three children together, who live with Wells.
He is a self-employed steel erector who cares for his children and the argument was due to Ms Selman’s alcohol issues.
Wells asked her to stop drinking and became concerned when she left the house as she had left for three or four months before.
Mr O’Driscoll said she had no injuries and asked for a financial penalty, stating is was an ‘unusual situation’.
Magistrates’ fined Wells £65, with £85 court costs and £20 victim surcharge.
