A man who kicked his seven-month pregnant partner in the head and stomach during a sustained assault carried out in front of her mother was jailed today (Tuesday)
As she imposed a sentence of four years and eight months on George Wilgaus, which was divided equally between prison and licence, Judge Patricia Smyth told the 21-year old he acted in a “shocking and despicable way”.
Wilgaus, from Antrim Road in North Belfast, admitted a charge of attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm with intent on his heavily pregnant partner on September 19 last year.
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Crown barrister David Russell told Belfast Crown Court that on that evening, police received a report that the injured party had been assaulted by her partner in their North Belfast home.
At round 6.15pm, Wilgaus was drunk and became aggressive and abusive to his partner, the court heard. He told her he wished she was dead and threatened to smash the house up, and when she and her mother tried to leave, Wilgaus prevented them from doing so.
The women managed to exit through a side door but were followed by Wilgaus, who punched his partner to the face and body then kicked her to the side and back. Wilgaus continued to verbally abuse his partner then became involved a scuffle with her mother when she tried to intervene.
With the violence now on the street, Wilgaus launched a second attack on his partner. He picked items from a skip which he threw at her, then kicked her stomach - which was branded as “a significant aggravating factor” by Mr Russell.
The prosecutor said both the victim and her mother “managed to make their way a short distance from the house but the accused followed, assaulting her again, stamping on her stomach hard and stamping on her head two or three times as she was prone on the ground”.
He added: “She described having concerned for her own life and naturally for her unborn child.”
The incident came to an end when a passing female saw the woman lying on the ground in the foetal position being kicked by Wilgaus. She stopped her car and as she did so, Wilgaus walked away. The motorist came to her assistance and took her and her mother to the hospital.
Mr Russell said that when police spoke to the woman, she displayed facial injuries and “significant” bruising to the left side of her body. She has had her baby, did not want co-operate with the investigation and did not make a Victim Impact Statement - but Judge Smyth said the incident would have had a serious affect on her.
When he was arrested, Wilgaus told police his partner and her mother ‘started’ on him, he was punched and he told them to leave the house.
He initially denied punching and kicking his pregnant partner but later admitted his guilt and pleaded to the charge.
Mr Russell told Judge Smyth the assault was “persistent” and that multiple blows were inflicted including stamps and kicks on a prone, defenceless and heavily pregnant woman.
Defence barrister Martin Morgan spoke of his client’s “genuine and palpable remorse” and said Wilgaus was “very, very sorry” for what he did.
Mr Morgan added: “He has been in custody for 15 months now and has had every opportunity to reflect on this.”
Judge Smyth said she has taken into consideration defence submissions including Wilgaus’s young age and his genuine expressions of remorse. She added that whilst the level of violence inflicted upon a pregnant woman was “extremely disturbing”, she accepted the injuries sustained were not serious.
Citing the incident as one where “multiple blows were inflicted on a heavily pregnant woman who had fear for her unborn child by a man who should have been protecting her”, Judge Smyth imposed the jail term.
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