Holywell,North Wales - Ex-soldier from Holywell jailed for attack on woman

Published date: 15 January 2016 | 

Published by: Staff reporter
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AN IRAQ war veteran has been jailed after launching an unprovoked attack on a young woman after a night out.

Duncan James Bradbury, 30, was sent to prison for 12 weeks yesterday after it emerged he had received a four-year sentence for robbery and causing grievous bodily harm in 2009.

Holly Otter, said she had been left terrified following the ordeal on December 27 last year when she was punched, kicked and had clumps of hair pulled out.

West Cheshire Magistrates Court heard Bradbury, of Dewi Avenue, Holywell, had been with four acquaintances in Chester on a night out and one of them offered Miss Otter and a female friend a lift home at about 6am.

He offered to travel in the boot of a car but was soon overcome by claustrophobia and the effects of alcohol.

The driver of the car pulled into a petrol station close to the Posthouse Roundabout near Chester and Bradbury leaped out and began to assault Miss Otter, a back-seat passenger.

He was persuaded to return to the boot, but the driver had to pull over for a second time close to the roundabout, leading to Bradbury, of Dewi Avenue, Holywell, attacking Miss Otter again.

Quoting sections of the victim’s police interview, Rob Youds, prosecuting, said: “It was mayhem. I was on the floor and he kept kicking me in the back and stomach. He pulled some hair out in clumps.

“I kept blacking out. I also remember him banging my head against the pavement a number of times. The other males were trying to get him off but he’s a big lad and very strong.”

Police were called and Miss Otter was taken to hospital for treatment.

Steve Coupe, defending, told the Chester court Bradbury had suffered with post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in Iraq as a young man.

He had been discharged from the army on medical grounds after nine-and-a-half years and now saw a counsellor and took anti-depressants.

Mr Coupe said at the time of the offence Bradbury “panicked and became disorientated because of the alcohol and confined space”.

District Judge Michael Abelson gave Bradbury credit for his early guilty plea but said considering the nature of the crime and his criminal record, an immediate custodial sentence was unavoidable.

see-http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/157329/ex-soldier-from-holywell-jailed-for-attack-on-woman.aspx