Man jailed for attack on partner and police officers

A man has been jailed for 24 months after wounding his partner and assaulting two police officers who had to use Captor spray to restrain him.

James McLoughlin, 31, of Queens Road, Llandudno Junction, admitted causing grievous bodily harm without intent to Tammy Mason, assaulting two emergency workers and breaching a Domestic Abuse Protection Order (DAPO) at Mold Crown Court on Tuesday.

The court heard police were called to a property in Llandudno Junction in April, where Ms Mason had received a facial wound that bled heavily.

McLoughlin had been made subject to a DAPO with conditions including not to go within 100 metres of Ms Mason’s home. However, within a couple of days, on 5 April, McLoughlin approached her and injured her. The large facial wound re-opened and bled heavily.

When police arrived, McLoughlin struggled with them and had to be Captor sprayed. Both officers received minor injuries.

In a statement read out by prosecutor David Mainstone, the first officer said the defendant had “grabbed hold of her body armour and she felt lucky to only sustain minor injuries.”

The second officer said “it was only the second time she had had to use her emergency button on her radio.” Her daughter cried when she saw her bandaged hand, which had been sprained.

Both officers said they “don’t come to work to be assaulted.”

Mark Connor, defending, said Ms Mason had been “determined” to maintain a relationship with McLoughlin and ignore the DAPO, but he “must now face the consequences of that breach”. He had been “polite and compliant” in an interview.

The defence noted a probation officer found McLoughlin is in a “vicious cycle”. Mr Connor said: “While he is using illicit substances to suppress concerns regarding his mental health (he is) exacerbating these concerns in binging on cocaine and alcohol. He recognises that he requires rehabilitation and intervention to end the pattern of offending behaviour.”

His Honour Timothy Petts heard Ms Mason declined to give a statement. He told the defendant: “It seems to me you have an emotional hold over Ms Mason. She seems to want to protect you no matter what you did.”

Judge Petts jailed McLoughlin for 22 months for causing Ms Mason grievous bodily harm, and two months each for the assaults on the emergency workers, with one running concurrent. He also received a 12-month concurrent jail term for breaching the DAPO, making a total sentence of 24 months.