Jail for man who beat up two ex-girlfriends

Craig Pugh, 28, launched separate attacks on former girlfriends, including on one woman who had given birth to his child just weeks before by caesarean.

But now a judge has jailed him after he previously got a suspended sentence for the earlier attack.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard Pugh text messaged his ex-girlfriend asking her to come round as he had been beaten up.

Martyn Booth, prosecuting, said the pair were talking about the issues in their relationship when he then started getting aggressive.

As she went to the front door to leave, he kicked her once in the bottom in the November 12 incident in Magdala Gardens, Portsmouth.

Mr Booth said: ‘She turned round, he was still coming towards her so she struck out at him in order to get away.’

He added: ‘His response was then grossly, excessively violent. He punched her in the ribs.

‘She describes it as a being a proper fist as if in a fight.’

The victim was left struggling to breathe as Pugh grabbed her phone from her. Eventually she fled and called the police.

Pugh pleaded guilty to assault by beating in relation to this.

But during the hearing for this case, Mr Booth revealed Pugh was in breach of a suspended sentence handed to him for assault occasioning actual bodily harm on his previous partner.

He said: ‘She had only two weeks beforehand given birth to their child so no doubt in a very vulnerable position having given birth by caesarean.’

Pugh demanded cash from her and snatched notes the victim had hidden in her bra before punching her arms.

Mr Booth said: ‘He punched her to the chest causing her to stumble backwards continued with verbal threats and abuse and tried to ask her not to call the police.’

The police were called and he was arrested. Pugh had been drinking in both incidents.

Sentencing, Judge Linda Sullivan QC handed him a nine-month term.

Pugh has appeared in court on 15 occasions for 35 offences.

Pugh, of Magdala Gardens, Portsmouth, was handed a restraining order indefinitely banning him from contacting one of the victims.