A Trowbridge man has been jailed after assaulting a woman in the street before being convicted of assault by beating and drug possession. Jason Prior, 41, of Trowbridge, was sentenced at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Monday after being found guilty of assaulting a woman in Bythesea Road. The court heard Prior attacked the victim on the evening of Tuesday, June 2. Despite denying the offence, he was convicted of assault by beating and sentenced to 23 weeks’ imprisonment, close to the maximum sentence available to the magistrates’ court.
Drug offence
Prior was also found guilty of possession of cannabis and received a further three-week prison sentence, which will run concurrently with his sentence for assault. In addition to the custodial sentence, the court imposed a restraining order, preventing Prior from contacting the victim.
Police praise victim’s bravery
Following the sentencing, PC Emma Hensberg praised the victim for supporting the prosecution. She said: “I would like to thank the victim in this case for her bravery in helping to bring the perpetrator to justice, which may help protect others from suffering similar abuse. “If you are unsure about a person you or someone else is in a relationship with, and feel they could be at risk of domestic abuse, please be aware of Clare’s Law. “This allows the police to release information about any previous history of violence or abuse. This helps us protect potential victims and prevent further crimes.”
Clare’s Law
Wiltshire Police is reminding the public that Clare’s Law, formally known as the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS), allows people to ask police whether a current or former partner has a history of violence or abusive behaviour. Anyone experiencing domestic abuse, or concerned about someone else’s safety, is urged to report it to police or seek support through specialist domestic abuse services.
