A 40-year-old man has been locked up for over five years after violently attacking a woman in Gloucester in front of her terrified children.
Children Forced to Escape Through Window During Knife Attack
Jeremiah Joshua Smith, with no fixed address, threatened the family while brandishing a knife. The victim had to push her children out of a downstairs window to get them to safety. The children, who were having a sleepover with friends, scrambled over a garden fence and ran to a neighbour’s house for refuge, Gloucester Crown Court heard.
Violent Past and Lengthy Sentence
Smith admitted to causing grievous bodily harm with intent to one woman and assaulting a second woman. Recorder R. Weekes KC branded Smith a serious threat to future partners. He was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison, plus an extended licence period of three years.
Smith, who already has 32 convictions for 64 offences, mainly related to domestic abuse, committed his first offence aged 19 in 2006. As part of his sentence, he also faces a 15-year restraining order barring him from contacting his victims, a prosecution witness, the helpful neighbour, and from entering Kingsway.
