Warwick man ordered to pay compensation to woman whose nose he broke

Stephen Price had denied assaulting his victim Emma Mancini causing her actual bodily harm, but was found guilty by magistrates in Leamington following a trial.

Price, 28, of Longfellow Avenue, Warwick, was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months and ordered to do 120 hours of unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay £200 compensation to Miss Mancini and £280 costs, and was made subject to a restraining order banning him from having any contact with her for 12 months.

Prosecutor Baldev Singh Atwal said that in September last year Miss Mancini was at a house party in Kettlewell Close, Warwick, when a family friend arrived with her partner, Price.

At around 10pm she was in the kitchen when Price became upset about his partner talking to another man and took hold of her with both hands round her neck.

Miss Mancini told him to let her go, and both ladies then went to the bathroom to talk.

“Miss Mancini was sitting on the edge of the bath when the defendant burst in with something in his hand, and she felt a forceful punch which knocked her into the bath, and her nose began bleeding.

“The defendant immediately left the bathroom, and there was some altercation with others in the house,” said Mr Atwal.

Miss Mancini went to Warwick Hospital where it was found she had a broken nose.

As a result, she has been left with a permanent lump on the bridge of her nose, which leans slightly to one side, which has made her feel very self-conscious.

Mr Atwal added that Price had 11 previous convictions for 58 offences, including eight for violence, over a ten-year period.

Paul O’Keeffe, defending, said there was little he could say about the offence itself, explaining that Price took issue with the Crown’s case, claiming the incident had been accidental, ‘and that is still his position.’

Mr O’Keefe said Price had been released from jail in May last year, and since then he has been undertaking an electrical apprenticeship and is due to begin a college course in September.

“He would ask to carry on with the progress he’s been making,” he added.

Sentencing Price, chairman of the magistrates David Johnston told him: “The bench do feel it has crossed the custody threshold, but we have taken on board what Mr O’Keeffe has said on your behalf.”