Pregnant woman attacked

PREGNANT Lauren Periment was attacked by her drunken ex-partner after she had nursed him as he coughed up blood. She sat with Jodie Cooper on the bathroom floor for about an hour before he grabbed her around the throat, and threw her four feet across a ro

PREGNANT Lauren Periment was attacked by her drunken ex-partner after she had nursed him as he coughed up blood.

She sat with Jodie Cooper on the bathroom floor for about an hour before he grabbed her around the throat, and threw her four feet across a room.

Cooper pinned Ms Periment against a wall during the fracas, and the Anson Packaging worker told her: "I am not going to stop short of killing you."

Ms Periment bit Cooper as she fought him off, and later told police: "I was very scared for my safety, I felt angry and sick."

Prosecuting at Ely courthouse on Thursday, Olivia Gooding told how Cooper had kicked out at Ms Periment.

He grabbed her round the neck with both hands, shoved her backwards, and she fell on the floor. When she got to her feet, Cooper grabbed her round the throat again, pushing her against a door frame.

Last month 27-year-old Cooper, of Lawns Crescent, Little Downham, was found guilty of assault after a trial.

Mitigating, John Aspinall said Cooper had not known about the pregnancy at the time of the incident in April last year.

The incident was not reported to police until five weeks later, when the couple fell out over Cooper's new girlfriend.

"He feels her statement was greatly exaggerated," said Mr Aspinall. "But he has no recollection of what happened."

Cooper was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, and pay £150 compensation to Ms Periment and £380 court costs.