A bullying dad asked his partner if she “wanted to feel pain” before stubbing a lit cigarette out on her.
Fethi Chebbi also dragged the woman by the hair so violently that her extensions were torn from her head in a vile campaign of abuse. A judge at Liverpool Crown Court ruled he was a risk to women as he sent him to prison yesterday.
Yet despite his actions he shouted that the decision to jail him was “a joke” as he was led to the cells. Zahra Baqri, prosecuting, said Chebbi, who is originally from Tunisia but had been living in Eastham, had been in a relationship with the woman for two and a half years.
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She said that while everything appeared normal at first, Chebbi became aggressive, insecure and bullying shortly after he moved in with her. She also noticed that his behaviour worsened significantly when he was drunk and on evening in July 2020 he attacked her after drinking.
Ms Baqri said: “His mood changed for the worse and she recalls being held down, during which time he burned a cigarette into the skin on her left wrist. While he did this he asked her if she wanted to feel pain. He then stubbed the cigarette out on her.”
Months later, after going to the pub with the victim and her mother on October 10, 2020, Chebbi struck again. After becoming angry that the woman did not go to bed when he did, Chebbi flew into a rage.
Ms Baqri said: “He came down and flipped the coffee table over, causing all the glasses on it to smash. He then took a mobile phone she had in her hand and snapped it in half.
“It was in fact her mother’s phone. Whilst so doing he accused her of being unfaithful, took her by the hair and dragged her around the room. He did that with such force her hair extensions were ripped out.
“He then rained multiple slaps and punches on her.” The woman managed to call the police with her phone but Chebbi bent her fingers back to tear the mobile from her.
Realising the police were about to arrive, Chebbi fled. He was arrested six weeks later. He initially pleaded guilty to criminal damage for the breaking of the phone but denied the assaults on the woman until the day of his trial, when he pleaded guilty.
In a statement to the court, she said she had been left “a shell” of the person she was before and was now more anxious and less trustworthy. Referring to the fallout of Chebbi’s actions for her and her wider family, the woman said it had led to “darkest and most painful period” of her life.
Chebbi has numerous previous convictions, including for domestic violence related offences. The court heard Chebbi apparently made comments to probation officers implying that he had acted in self defence.
David Polglase, defending, said he now accepted he was the instigator of the attack. He said: “His instruction to me is that he does not seek to blame her. His position is aggravated by use of alcohol. Being intoxicated does not help him, it aggravates his position.
“He says to me he has done wrong, he accepts that.”
The judge, Recorder Michael Blakey, said probation reports made clear Chebbi posed risks to women in his life and said his actions had a longlasting effect on his victim.
Recorder Blakey said: “It seems to me that what you did to that lady was inexcusable and cowardly and the impact statement that was read out on her behalf illustrates what effect it has had on her and presumably continues to have on her.”
Chebbi, of Argyle Street, Birkenhead, was jailed for 20 months. He was silent as the judge passed sentence but as he walked towards the door that leads from the dock to the cells he shouted that it was “a joke”.
