A teenage thug who brutally beat his girlfriend, set fire to a picture of her late grandmother, and threatened to 'smash her face in' has been spared jail. Callum Peacock, 19, admitted assault, arson and criminal damage against his partner in St Helens.
Attack Details
Peacock's 'disgraceful and shocking' conduct occurred during a vicious attack that left his girlfriend cowering in a ball on the bathroom floor, after having bleach and paint hurled at her. The appalling incident also involved him throwing dumbbells at his victim and beating her with a golf club, just days after he had attacked her with a hammer.
Despite menacingly warning police 'I'm going to smash her face in when I get out' after being arrested, he has now walked free from jail. Liverpool Crown Court heard that Peacock and the complainant had been together for approximately 18 months before January 25 this year, when officers were called to the couple's flat.
Police Response
Police were greeted outside the property by the 19-year-old defendant, of Frederick Street in St Helens, who claimed he was 'in a toxic relationship' and maintained that his girlfriend had hit him. However, Lucy Moran, prosecuting, characterised this as Peacock 'trying to minimise his culpability', having subsequently provided 'differing and conflicting accounts' of the confrontation.
Nevertheless, he did 'accept throwing things at the victim, because he can sometimes just snap' and admitted to burning a photograph of his partner's late grandmother, which he used to further set a t-shirt alight. Officers arrived to find the victim smothered in white paint, 'curled up in a ball, audibly sobbing and shrieking' through a hole in the bathroom door, sections of which were 'smouldering' and smoking.
Three-Hour Ordeal
She later reported that Peacock had hurled paint at her, attempted to burn her and bitten her arm throughout a harrowing three-hour ordeal. This also saw the teen hit her with a broom handle and golf club before putting her in a chokehold from behind, smashing the bathroom door with the latter implement after she had attempted to hide in the bathroom. He later threw dumbbells and a bottle of bleach at her, causing some of the liquid to splash onto her, before using an aerosol and lighter to set fire to the door.
Having threatened to torch the flat, Peacock then took hold of a 'memorial t-shirt' with a picture of her grandmother on the front and, 'in an extremely selfish act', set fire to the garment while telling her 'she would rot in hell'. She meanwhile disclosed another assault two days earlier, in which he had struck her with a hammer following an argument.
Threats in Custody
Peacock continued to make threats towards his victim in custody following his arrest, telling officers 'I'm going to smash her face in when I get out'. He has no previous convictions. Carmel Wilde, defending, told the court: 'He has been in custody now for some four-and-a-half months. He is a very young man at 19. He is immature. He wishes to apologise, through me, to the victim and to the court for this disgraceful behaviour and the shocking experience of the complainant.'
'He is fortunate that she has not suffered more serious injuries. He was only 17 or 18 when the relationship started. It escalated very quickly into a volatile relationship on both sides. He has made good progress in custody. He has been complying with the regime. He has enhanced status.'
'He has the support of his adoptive parents. He is keen to embark upon his rehabilitation within the community. Your honour could impose a suspended sentence to allow him to build upon that progress. He is young and there is that realistic prospect of rehabilitation. He clearly needs help with emotional regulation and domestic violence situations.'
Judge's Remarks
Peacock admitted two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, arson and criminal damage. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool, he was handed an 18-month imprisonment suspended for 18 months with a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 20 days and a five-year restraining order.
Judge Stuart Driver KC said: 'The case is made worse by the fact that it was an episode of domestic violence. Taken altogether, this amounts to a serious incident. In mitigation, you are young, in your teens still, and are clearly immature and ill equipped for adult relationships. You have no previous convictions, which makes a big difference, and I have read about your early life in care.'
'You have been in custody for nearly five months. If you were on bail today, I would have no option but to send you immediately to prison. But that, in effect, has already happened. It seems to me that the fact that makes all the difference in this case is that you have already been in custody for the equivalent of a nine month sentence. If you commit an offence or do not do what your probation officers tell you, you will be brought back to court. If I see you again, I will send you back to prison.'
