A judge said that it was "sheer dumb luck" that a thug did not kill or seriously injure anyone when he pulled his pregnant girlfriend's handbrake as she drove at 50mph.
Ainsley Stafford's actions caused the car to spin out of control and face oncoming traffic on the A666. He then screamed at his victim to "move the f***ing car" before police arrived, prosecution barrister Patrick Williamson told Bolton Crown Court.
After the woman had pulled up on the hard shoulder, Stafford punched her to the head, before leaving the car and walking to her driver-side window. He then grabbed her by hair and tried to pull her from the car but did not manage to as she was wearing a seatbelt. He then threw her back, spat at her, and then got back in the car.
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During the journey, which took place in the early hours of Boxing Day 2022, Stafford also attacked his brother who was sat in the backseat. When the woman got near her home, in Bridgeman Street, Bolton, Stafford pulled the handbrake again - this time near a Mercedes taxi.
Stafford continued to spit at his girlfriend and punch her. When she left the car, he kicked the keys out of her hand. He only stopped his assault when she reminded him that she was pregnant with his child.
The court heard that Stafford ranted about being 'the biggest man in Bolton' and ordered the woman to ram the Mercedes taxi, which was in the road, but she refused. Eventually she managed to drive away from him.
Stafford was arrested later that morning and Mr Williamson told the court that Stafford had been drinking alcohol and taking nitrous oxide on Christmas night, prior to the outburst. He added that Stafford pulled the handbrake after his girlfriend had asked him to put a seatbelt on.
Along with the Boxing Day incident, Mr Williamson said that earlier in December, Stafford had thrown a can of lager at the woman. He also picked up a cat bed in her house, which had a cat on it, and threw it at a window. On a separate incident, he smashed a window of her car with a beer bottle, before coming towards the woman with the bottle.
Stafford, 26, of Alexander Road, Tonge Moor, Bolton, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault by beating, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, interfering with a motor vehicle, and criminal damage.
In a victim personal statement, the woman said of Stafford: "I never want to see his face again." However, the court heard that she is now back in a relationship in him.
Defending Stafford, Colin Buckle described pulling the handbrake as 'mindless' and admitted that it was an 'unpleasant, nasty incident'. He also asked for the judge to reduce the starting sentence by a third, as Stafford pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.
The judge, Recorder Michael Maher jailed Stafford for two years and 10 months. He said: "It is sheer dumb luck that you didn’t kill or seriously injure anyone in that car or any other road user. It is plain to me you have no regard for safety of others."
Commenting on the victim taking Stafford back, Recorder Maher said: "She said that she never wanted to see your face again, although there has been something of a volte-face on her thinking on that." He continued: "It is dispiriting with what is on her statement but she’s a grown woman and it’s a matter for her."
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