DOMINEERING | 

Serial woman-beater locked up for assaulting pregnant ex-partner

Thug judge branded a ‘menace’ also hit with restraining order

Today at 18:40

A MAN who assaulted, abused and domineered his pregnant partner has been handed a nine-month prison sentence.

Airidas Daugela (24) was told he had an “atrocious record”, with the judge branding him “just a menace”.

“You are just a menace to anyone who goes into a personal relationship with you and anyone who does that should think long and hard before they do so,” Deputy District Judge Chris Holmes told a hearing.

He told the serial woman beater in no uncertain terms that he would not deal with him again, warning: “You can take me to a judicial review, but [if you are in front of me again], you are going to the Crown Court.”

Daugela, of no fixed abode, appeared at Craigavon Magistrates court last week via video-link from prison.

He pleaded guilty to five counts of common assault in May and June last year and one count relating to a domestic abuse offence.

The court heard that around this time last year, the victim told police she had been “subject to ongoing domestic abuse” at the hands of Daugela.

A prosecution lawyer said: “She said that ever since she told the defendant she was pregnant with his child in late 2021, he had become controlling, constantly checking on her, who she was with, who she was talking to, passing comment on her clothing, not allowing her to wear make-up, calling her fat and ugly and a sl*t.”

In May and June last year, Daugela repeatedly physically assaulted his pregnant partner, punching and slapping her to the face and head, leaving her with a “busted lip” and numerous bruises.

In one incident, she was helping him carry a dog crate downstairs, but when she stopped because she was feeling dizzy, Daugela slapped her, calling her “lazy and useless”.

She tried to use her phone to call the police, but he took it off her and refused to give it back.

The court was told he refused to leave her home, would not let her go and locked the front door.

“He got on top of her, grabbed her by the throat and slapped her to the face,” said the lawyer.

When he was eventually questioned, Daugela denied the accusations, but his solicitor said by now accepting his guilt, he had saved the victim from having to give evidence.

He conceded that Daugela “doesn’t have the greatest pre-sentence report in the world by any measure”, with previous convictions for assault and making threats to kill a different victim.

On top of the jail sentence, the judge also imposed a restraining order that, as well as banning Daugela from harassing or pestering the victim, also bars him from contacting her in any shape or form.