A 24-year-old roofer, Ethan Price, has avoided an immediate prison sentence despite assaulting the mother of his child, knocking her unconscious with a single punch. The attack occurred during a confrontation on a night out in Newcastle-under-Lyme last November, after the victim had blocked Price’s number.
CCTV footage presented at North Staffordshire Justice Centre showed the pair walking into an alleyway before Price launched the violent attack. The blow caused the woman to fall backwards, hitting her head and rendering her unconscious.
Prosecutor Jo Fox stated: “She falls onto her back unconscious and hits her head. This could have been a fatality because of the force and how hard she fell. Her friends, doormen and police attended and put her in the recovery position. As she was lying on the floor, CCTV showed Price fleeing the scene.”
Fox also noted that Price had been on bail for other matters at the time of the attack and had previous convictions dating back to 2019 for causing actual bodily harm.
Price, of Line Houses, Boathorse Road, Tunstall, pleaded guilty to assault.
Mitigating lawyer Jo Corbett said the attack was a “short-lived, impulsive” incident, sparked by an argument over a bank card. Corbett added: “The relationship had ended, and Mr Price went to meet the victim. She went to that alleyway of her own will. He lost his temper. No-one is more sorry about that than Mr Price.”
The court heard Price was seeking mental health treatment, wished to undertake parenting courses, and hoped to be a positive role model for his son. He works full-time for his cousin’s roofing business and is reportedly “desperately trying to better himself.”
Price was handed a 24-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to work with the probation service. Additionally, he must pay a £239 court bill.
Magistrate Susan Sutton, addressing the defendant, said: “We’ve listened extremely carefully to your case, and we’ve also watched very clear CCTV footage and we’re happy to say the content was very clear and we could see exactly what went on. We also saw you fled the scene and left the victim there on the ground after giving her one single punch. I’m sure we don’t have to emphasise what one single punch could do to someone.
“She banged her head, she was bleeding, and she was left there alone for around five minutes. That is very, very serious offending.”
The case has raised concerns over the leniency of sentencing in domestic violence cases, especially considering Price’s prior convictions for violent offences.
