Man assaulted pregnant girlfriend

A man has been jailed for 18 months for a violent assault on his girlfriend - who later suffered a miscarriage.

Daniel Collins, 21, who lived with Leila Town at her home in Southwood Road, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm.

Luton Crown Court heard that 12 hours after Collins kicked Miss Town in the stomach she suffered the miscarriage.

But there was no medical evidence the assault on 17 April, this year, caused the miscarriage.

Miss Bozzie Sheffi prosecuting told how in the morning of the attack, the victim was up early and planning to visit her mother.

The prosecutor said she was in an upstairs bedroom getting ready when the defendant asked her where she was going.

When she told him she was planning to visit her doctor he became angry telling her: "You are not! You are not going out!", the court heard.

'Held her neck'

Miss Sheffi said when she asked why, Collins threw items on a bedside cabinet about the room. Then he darted forwards and grabbed her by the neck.

"She was held against a wall and he held her neck tight and she struggled for breath," said Miss Sheffi.

He pulled her hair and she ran downstairs in tears and, having gone downstairs himself, he told her to stop crying before attacking her for a second time, punching against the sides of her head.

Miss Town ran upstairs to escape but was followed once more by Collins who pushed her on a bed before kicking her in her stomach.

She was also in pain and discomfort and 12 hours after the attack suffered a miscarriage.

Passing sentence Recorder Charles Hollander told Collins: "This was a cowardly and deeply unpleasant incident of domestic violence. You assaulted your pregnant girlfriend."