Man jailed for "disgusting and degrading" abuse

Friday 16 April 2021

A man has been sent to prison for spitting on his hands and then smearing it on a woman's face in "one of the worst forms of abuse" a Magistrate's Court Judge has ever encountered.

Mikey Ashworth, 27, was charged with assaulting the victim and detaining her against her will, both of which he originally pleaded not guilty to.

Crown Prosecutor Chris Dunford said that Ashworth had arrived at her address in the early hours of Friday 26 February. 

She let him in, but then asked him to leave as it appeared he had been drinking. An argument broke out and Advocate Dunford stated that the defendant had spat into his hands, rubbed them together and wiped them on the woman's face. 

This then caused the woman to vomit into a glass. The Court was told that Ashworth took the glass and throw its contents over her. 

The Court heard that Ashworth then locked the front door, told the woman that "nobody is coming and nobody is going out" before pursuing her into a bedroom, where she was hiding. The victim called 999 and police gained entry through a kitchen window before arresting Ashworth. 

Pictured: Ashworth will serve a total of 7 months in Les Nicolles.

Ashworth originally pleaded not guilty to both charges, saying there had been an argument but that the claims about his spitting were untrue. After advice from his Defence Advocate David Domaille, while Ashworth was remanded in custody pending further investigation, he pleaded guilty in March.

In his defence, Advocate Domaille said Ashworth was remorseful and alcohol played a large part in guiding his actions on the day, but admitted that the assault was "revolting".

During his sentencing remarks, Judge Graeme McKerrell was appalled by the behaviour.

"It's one of the worst forms of abuse I've heard - it's disgusting and degrading. I think you're somebody capable of change who doesn't want to take the help given."

Judge McKerrell sentenced Ashworth to four months in Les Nicolles for this offence. Because he was also undertaking a community service order at the time of the conviction, this was converted into a further three months to run consecutively to the assault sentence.

Ashworth was also paying off a self-isolation fine which he'll return to paying after his sentence.