Khadijah
Well-Known Member
SourceA thug laughed "uncontrollably" on the floor after kicking a pregnant girl's stomach and telling her "you don't deserve a baby", a court heard.
Shaun Roberts, 29, appeared before Liverpool Crown Court for multiple offences including assault by beating and assaulting an emergency worker.
Paul Becker, prosecuting, said on May 16, 2020 friends Rebecca Barlow and Eleanor Bradshaw attended a party in Aigburth where they had been 'drinking and taking drugs'.
At around 5am, Roberts asked the two girls if they wanted to 'continue drinking' back at his flat and upon arriving he was 'nice and engaging in conversation', the Liverpool Echo reports.
However when the conversation turned to Ms Bradshaw's children, Mr Becker said Roberts began to get 'agitated' saying social services were investigating his children.
He began 'shouting and headbutting the walls' leaving the females feeling 'scared'.
Mr Becker went on to say that Roberts then looked at a picture of his cousin, who had died weeks before, saying 'how dare someone hold him down and stab him'.
The court heard how Roberts began 'shouting, hitting doors, kicked furniture and was speaking erratically' and when Ms Barlow went to call a taxi home, he 'became paranoid' and 'lunged at her'.
He held her to the floor and began punching the back of her head and when her friend tried to intervene, he 'smacked their heads together five or six times'.
The 29-year-old also hit a bottle of beer against Ms Barlow's head and held his knee against her neck.
The court heard how Ms Bradshaw was 'begging to be let go' and eventually Roberts fell to the floor laughing and they were 'able to run to the door and escape'.
Mr Becker told the court that Ms Bradshaw was in the early stages of pregnancy at the time, which Roberts knew about, but he 'stamped on her stomach' and told her she 'didn't deserve a baby'.
The prosecution added: "They were pleading for their lives. After what felt like a lifetime, he let them go.
"He was laying on the floor, laughing uncontrollably."
In a victim impact statement, read out in court, Ms Barlow said since the incident she has suffered with her mental health and has flashbacks and nightmares.
The court heard how she is 'scared of strangers' and no longer likes going out, constantly living in worry.
Ms Bradshaw's personal statement heard how she also suffered with her mental health and began drinking which made her lose her job and her children after social services intervened.
She 'feels she can no longer have a relationship' and despite being best friends with Ms Barlow, they no longer spend as much time together.
Mr Becker said when arrested and interviewed, Roberts answered 'no comment'
He told the court that whilst on bail, Roberts committed further offences on 24 April of this year.
Mr Becker said British Transport Police received reports of someone on the tracks at Sandhills train station which resulted in 'emergency isolation' of the trains before police arrived.
The court heard how Roberts approached one of the police officers 'waving his arms' and after not listening to warnings, the Taser was fired.
Mr Becker went on to say that after telling police he 'intended to cause himself harm' he was detained under the mental health act and was taken to hospital where he became 'erratic' and 'irate' and verbally abusive.
The court heard how despite being in an isolated room, Roberts was 'relentlessly abusive' and made numerous, unpleasant statements.
He also made homophobic slurs and threats, telling one police officer he would 'rape his wife and murder his children'.
Police continued to monitor him, but the court heard how at one police, Roberts 'kicked an officer to the abdomen' and kicked another officer's leg and when restrained, 'spat at officers'.
Mr Becker said Roberts then needed medical assistance after 'vomiting', but he then apologised to officers stating he had 'taken drugs'.
The court heard how the disruption to the railway lines resulted in one train cancellation, a 374 minute delay which meant £18,000 lost in revenue.
Defence Counsel Michael Bagley said Roberts 'saw sense' when he changed his plea on the day of trial and requested credit for that guilty plea.
He told the court that Roberts was a 'Jekyll and Hyde individual' and recognises when he takes drugs and alcohol his behaviour is 'vile'.
Mr Bagley added that Roberts, whose mother and partner supported him in court, had a 'difficult upbringing' and was 'excluded from school at a young age'.
The court heard how Roberts 'didn't fit in' and binge drinking results in 'self loathing'.
Mr Bagley said the 29-year-old was 'not beyond hope' and had proven he had worked in the past, adding that custody was not the challenge, the challenge was 'mixing with ordinary society'.
Judge Stuart Driver QC said Roberts assaulted two women which was 'terrifying for them' and he had 'stamped on the stomach of a pregnant woman'.
He went on to say they each 'suffered serious psychological consequences'.
Judge Driver QC said he also became abusive to 'innocent emergency workers' whilst on bail - which is an aggravating feature.
For the assault on the two women, Roberts was given a 32-month custodial sentence to run concurrently with each other.
He was given two months for the public order offences and six months for obstructing the railway and assaulting the emergency workers. These were to run concurrently with each other but consecutively with the other assault charge.
This means Roberts was given a 38-month custodial sentence.
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