Worksop man battered ex’s boyfriend after months of ‘belittling and aggravating’

Jake Scriven called his victim "a muppet" before launching his attack outside the Lockside pub, on Victoria Square, at 3am on February 18, said prosecutor Catherine Wilson.

The 20-year-old punched him in the back of the head and stood on his left elbow and index finger when he ended up on the pavement.

Scriven punched him twice in the face, and kicked his legs and face while he was lying on the ground.

When his victim tried to get up, Scriven put him in a headlock and continued to throw punches before knocking him to the floor and kicking him again in the head and face.

The complainant reported a loss of feeling in his fingers afterwards, but didn't make a formal victim impact statement, and the original assault charge was changed to affray.

Ian Pridham, mitigating, said: “He is of previous good character and this begs the question of why he acted out of character in that way.

“Over a period of time, the complainant made various comments about him not being fit to be a parent and that he could do a better job.”

He said there was “belittling and aggravating over a period of months” before “it all came to a head”.

At the time, Scriven was “under a huge amount of stress”, he added .

Mr Pridham asked the magistrates to deal with him on the basis of what was captured on CCTV rather than what the complainant said.

“There don’t appear to be injuries of any significance,” he said. Scriven has served 99 days on a qualifying curfew, from 8pm to 7am, which is the equivalent of nearly 50 days in custody, Mr Pridham told the court.

Scriven, of Newcastle Avenue, Worksop, admitted affray when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court on April 24.

Sentencing was adjourned until Tuesday when he received a four-month prison term, suspended for 12 months, with 100 hours of unpaid work and 31 rehabilitation days.

He was ordered to pay a £154 surcharge and £85 costs.