Dad-to-be shoved heavily pregnant girlfriend into Wallsend shop shelving unit
Kieron Thornby pushed the victim after she refused to talk to him then also assaulted one of her friends
by Sara Nichol · ChronicleLiveA dad-to-be shoved his heavily pregnant girlfriend into a shop shelving unit.
Kieron Thornby was captured on CCTV pushing the victim after she refused to talk to him inside a store in Wallsend. A court heard that the push caused the woman to fall into some shelves and then to the floor.
Despite assaulting his partner, the 19-year-old then turned his aggression on one of her friends and also shoved him, causing him to fall, prosecutors said. Thornby, who was living in a tent in a graveyard at the time, was arrested and pleaded guilty to two counts of assault by beating when he appeared in the dock.
South East Northumberland Magistrates' Court heard that the victim gave birth to the couple's child just 14 days after the incident, which happened on September 15 this year. Stephen Davies, prosecuting, said Thornby contacted his girlfriend and asked to meet her but she declined.
He then did see her with some friends on Windsor Drive, in Wallsend, and followed her into a nearby Nisa store as he tried to speak with her. Mr Davies continued: "He grabbed her by her right shoulder and she pulled her shoulder away.
"He pushed her in the chest, causing her to fall backwards, hitting shelving in the store, and she fell to the floor. [The second victim] became involved and he was also pushed by the defendant and he ended up on the floor as well."
The court heard that Thornby was remorseful, had experienced an extremely traumatic childhood and had very recently become a dad. Paul McAlindon, defending, said Thornby had pleaded guilty.
The solicitor added: "The fact she was pregnant makes him even more remorseful. For a young man who isn't even 20, he has been through an awful lot. This is his first time before a court."
Magistrates gave Thornby, of no fixed abode, an 18-month community order and ordered him to pay £140 compensation to his girlfriend and £100 to the other victim. He was also made subject of a 20-month restraining order, which banned him from "pestering, harassing or alarming" his partner.
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