Boozed up Mansfield youth assaulted girlfriend in 'bear-hug'

Jamie Royal was so drunk he was unable to stand up when he grabbed the woman around the waist at 2am, on August 5, as she met him after work on Clumber Street.

Prosecutor Robert Carr said: “He squeezed her very tightly. She tried to get out but he was too strong and she shouted for help.

“His hug was not affectionate and was a way of controlling her. It was a very painful grip and he held her for five minutes.

“She drove Royal to his home where he began shouting so loudly someone called the police and she was able to get away.”

Two nights later, at a works do at the Cheeky Monkey bar, one of the woman’s colleagues accused Royal of flirting with her.

“Mr Royal put his partner into a bearhug,” said Mr Carr. “She screamed for him to get off.

“A male colleague tried to calm him down, and when he tried to call the police, Royal shoved him and tried to grab his phone.”

The court heard their two-year, on-off relationship had been “volatile”, but went “downhill” seven months ago, when he “began lashing out at his surroundings.”

Royal, 19, of Alcock Avenue, admitted three counts of assault by beating and one of using threatening or abusive words and behaviour, when he appeared before magistrates in Mansfield, on Thursday.

Yvonne Wragg, mitigating, said Royal, who works as an apprentice on the railways, rarely drinks, is unable to handle alcohol and has never been in trouble with the police before.

She said: “He is more than remorseful. He is absolutely distraught and devastated. It has had a massive effect on his family.

“He has learnt a lot from this particular set of circumstances. He thought he was someone who would never hurt anyone. Possibly because of their immaturity they couldn’t end the relationship. It is definitely out of character.

“I don’t believe you will see him before the court again.”

Royal was given a 12 month community order, with 15 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement, and 60 hours of unpaid work.

He must pay £85 costs and £50 compensation to the man he assaulted.