A pregnant woman was grabbed by the neck and pushed against a wall by a man after she asked him to move his van, which had blocked her in. Kane Samms, 35, later told police the victim was "overreacting" and that her response was "likely due to her hormones".
Incident at Bolton pet shop
The woman had left the Namas pet shop in Bolton, near Manchester, to find her car blocked in by a van parked across the car park entrance. When she went back to the shop to enquire about the vehicle, Samms identified himself as its owner. Minshull Street Crown Court heard the victim felt "uncomfortable with the way he had spoken to her".
After she asked him to move his van, Samms told her: "When you use your manners." When she said "please", Samms said she had "disrespected him". When she asked again, he called her a "little sl*t".
Assault and aftermath
Samms then walked up to the woman, grabbed her by the neck and pushed her against a wall, leaving her frightened to fight back as she was scared of how he might react. Eddy Steele, prosecuting, told the court Samms would have been unaware of the woman's pregnancy, as she was only eight weeks pregnant at the time of the incident on November 24, 2023.
The victim called the police and attended Royal Bolton Hospital, where she reported soreness to her neck and the back of her head. Doctors found she had not sustained any injuries.
Court proceedings and sentence
When interviewed on December 19, 2023, Samms told officers the victim was "overreacting" and that her response was "likely due to her hormones". Mr Steele said: "When asked why [she] would make up these allegations, he stated that it was because women are dramatic."
In a statement read to the court on her behalf, the woman said: "I don’t feel as if I could go back to the pet shop again. I felt angry that someone could treat me like that and just approach me and put his hands on me. You see things happen like this all the time, but when it happens to you it feels completely different, it’s shocking."
The court was told Samms had 10 previous convictions for 13 offences, including assault. Richard Flook, defending, said: "He has demonstrated insight into his behaviour and is ashamed of what he did that day. There are no excuses for it." He said Samms cares for his two children and that his previous convictions were of "significant age".
Judge Neil Usher told Samms: "You behaved in a disgraceful manner towards this lady, who was simply making a perfectly civil remark about being blocked in. It seems to me you have a problem with your temper."
Samms, of Tweedle Hill Road, Blackley, pleaded guilty to a single charge of assault by beating. He was sentenced to a 12 month community order, and ordered to complete 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 100 hours of unpaid work.
