A Bedford man who kicked down the front door at his ex-partner’s home in a drink fuelled rage and attacked her has been saved from a prison sentence after she wrote to the court.
On Tuesday, September 15, 2020, Recorder Cairns Nelson QC hearing the case of Nerijus Kuzminas at Luton crown court said: “Men who raise their feet and fists to a woman can expect nothing else other than a custodial sentence.”
He said in case of Kuzminas, a custodial sentence was justified, but he went on: “I will suspend it because of the gracious letter from your former partner who has sought to see the bigger picture and I will do as she has asked.”
The man’s ex had written to the court saying that although she has no wish to get back with Kuzminus and feels they have both now moved on, she had no wish to see him go into prison.
Kuzminas, 33 a warehouse worker from Lithuania was given a seven month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work and pay £500 compensation to his ex.
The court hearted how the pair had been in a relationship which by May of this year had come to an end. However, on the afternoon May 29 this year Kuzminas of Faldo Road in Bedford turned up at the woman’s home in the town.
She told him she wanted the relationship to end and he left. But he wasn’t finished and after drinking heavily returned to her home and began shouting at her from outside the property.
Prosecutor Terrence Wood said the woman inside her home could hear the defendant shouting “I’m coming for you” followed by him kicking her front door with such force that it gave way and he got in.
Recorder Nelson was told he then launched an attack on the woman telling her: “I’m going to kill you.”
In the kitchen he pushed and punched her twice before grabbing her by her neck and squeezing it.
Then as she lay on the floor he kicked her twice about her shins before fleeing.
The police were contacted and Zuminas was arrested. In a victim impact statement for the court, the woman said she had been “terrified” that day.
“He was throwing me around like I was nothing,” she said. She also said she was frightened about him returning to her home and breaking in again because he had the strength to do it.
The court heard that what had happened that day was out of character. Paul Webb defending said: “He acted extremely unwisely and he was drunk at the time and is now embarrassed and horrified at his actions which were an isolated minute or two of his life that he will never repeat again.”
Recorder Nelson also told Nelson he would have to carry out 24 days of a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement when he will work with probation staff to address his offending behaviour.
He must also complete a Building Better Relationships programme.
