Teenager grabbed partner by throat
A TEENAGER who attacked his partner as they rowed over money grabbed her by the throat, pushed her backwards over a settee and slapped her face as well as three times pushing her out of bed, a court was told.
Harrogate magistrates heard on Tuesday (Nov 24) how Lee Charles Hollywood and Zoe Tiffney had been together for a year and a half before the incident at the home they share in Victoria Avenue, Ripon.
When 18-year-old Hollywood pleaded guilty to assault, prosecutor Sam Rogers said Ms Tiffney told investigators her partner's behaviour had left her petrified. ''I didn't know how far he was going to go,'' she said.
Miss Rogers said after a split, the pair had got back together in a bid to make their relationship work just before the attack.
When Ms Tiffney got home from work on September 28 there had been an argument over money owed to her which she had been wanting back.
Grabbed
At one point, he had been at the bottom of a staircase and she had been at the top. She had thrown his trainers at him, one of the pair hitting him, and he had thrown them back but missed.
The court heard Ms Tiffney then decided to go to bed with Hollywood following her and the argument continuing. She had been lying on her side, when he pushed her off the bed with some force. Ms Tiffney had got back into the bed and had twice more been pushed from it.
Miss Rogers said Ms Tiffney had gone downstairs and had stood with her back towards the back of a settee. She had been grabbed by both shoulders and pushed backwards over the settee. Hollywood, who had been asking her if she wanted to fight had then kicked her to the left side of her head.
Miss Rogers said he had then apologised for his behaviour but she told him she had had enough and wanted him to go. He grabbed her around the throat, pushed her backwards and with both hands around her throat pushed her over a toilet, slapping her face when she hit him in self defence.
Assault
In mitigation Stephen Culleton said Hollywood had not been arrested for more than a month after the incident which had been a one-off. The pair had been together all that time and were still together.
They had argued over money – Hollywood had not been contributing anything to the household though that would change when he began work for a furniture company shortly – and it had escalated.
Mr Culleton said Hollywood knew his behaviour had been unacceptable. ''The argument took an unpleasant turn when both laid hands on each other. Ms Tiffney accidentally caught him in the face and he viewed that as an assault and acted in the way he did.''
Court chairman Judith Thomas called for probation reports to be compiled and bailed Hollywood for sentence on December 15.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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