A man from Bolton with a long history of violence forced his way into his ex-partner's home and proceeded to attack her.

Michael Farrell's 12-year relationship came to an end amid increasing problems with his drug and alcohol use and culminated in a savage assault during the early hours of February 13.

After the thug damaged doors to the house to gain entry, he went upstairs to his ex's bedroom where he proceeded to punch her in the face.

The attack, which saw the victim grabbed by the hair and neck, included 39-year-old Farrell threatening the woman with a knife in her kitchen.

Alison Whalley, prosecuting, said: “She was genuinely in fear for her life, she described herself as being shocked, upset, worried.”

 

The victim was left with injuries to her left eye, cheek and lip. Police officers dispatched to the property found a knife on the kitchen floor in front of a washing machine.

Ms Walley told the court how Farrell, who appeared by video link from Forest Bank prison, and his victim’s relationship had been “good for the first ten years".

But as Farrell’s drug and alcohol use increased, so too did his abusive behaviour, particularly when he was withdrawing from cocaine use.

On August 19 last year, he punched the same woman at a family party.

She added that he has 34 previous convictions for 71 offences ranging from assault and robbery to possession of a knife and domestic violence.

Farrell had left his victim’s home around four to five weeks before he forced his way back in on February 13. He was arrested the next day and denied his crimes to police when interviewed.

Farrell, formerly of Cartmel Crescent, eventually pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm on July 26 this year.

Helen Longworth, defending, said that Farrell was entitled to credit thanks to his guilty plea and pointed out he had already been in prison since February where he had been enduring extremely harsh conditions because of the Covid-19 regime still in place.

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She told the court that he had been confined to his cell for 23 hours a day.

Ms Longworth said: “He has described this sentence as the hardest he has ever had, hardest than any of the others.”

Recorder Mark Ainsworth described Farrell’s actions as ‘unacceptable and criminal’ but said that he was persuaded that Farrell’s sentence could be suspended.

He said: “This will have been terrifying for her and of course, I have her welfare in mind.”

He added: “It was no longer your home, it was her home, indeed it was her own bedroom where she is entitled to feel safe.”

Recorder Ainsworth sentenced Farrell to two years in prison suspended for 18 months and ordered him to complete 100 hours of unpaid work within a year with 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He also ordered Farrell to complete a building better relationships course and hit him with a restraining order forbidding him from contacting his ex-partner, except through solicitors, for five years.