Man head butted his wife after she woke him up

Stephen Wilding, of Derby Road, Golborne, had spent the evening drinking with his wife Claire and her friend but when Claire fell asleep on the sofa, he went to bed without her. She woke in the earlier hours and headed upstairs to bed but when she woke him up so she could join him in bed he turned violent.

He punched her several times as well as head butting her but also assaulted another woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, who was staying at the house.

Nicola Ormerod, prosecuting, said: “The victim is Mr Wilding’s partner. They have been in a relationship for around six years and got married in June last year.

“Mrs Wilding said her husband has been struggling with alcohol and there have been incidents of domestic issues but none that have been previously reported.

“On August 6 into August 7, Mrs Wilding, a friend and the defendant were having a few drinks at their home address. She said the defendant appeared agitated. She fell asleep on the sofa but woke up at about 5am. She went upstairs and the defendant was in bed. She tried to wake him to get into bed but he became violent.”

The other victim then came to help after hearing the commotion but Wilding grabbed her by the arm and swung her round onto the bed. The two women called the police who attended and arrested Wilding. During an interview he told police he did not remember assaulting either woman.

Wilding, who was unrepresented, was sentenced to an 18 month community order, to take part in a building better relationships programme, to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and to reside at an address approved by his probation officers and to pay £100 compensation to his victims.