‘Paranoid’ Mansfield man smashed can into ex’s face so hard it was crushed

Nottingham Crown Court heard Jason Smith accused the woman of cheating and demanded she tell him the truth when he confronted her on Sherwood Street, on December 20, at 7.45pm.

Jon Fountain, prosecuting, said Smith grabbed her arm ‘hard enough to leave bruises’, before letting her go and shouting abuse after her.

Smith followed her and hit her in the face with an empty can – hard enough to crush it – then seized her bag and struck her with it, injuring her arm and legs.

He made off with the bag which contained her bank card, her mobile phone and £40.

Everything but the cash was recovered when Smith was arrested, with a small amount of amphetamine, seven days later.

His victim, who ended the 'turbulent' three-month relationship in September, was left with a bloodied nose and severe bruising.

In a statement she said the loss of her phone left her isolated and unable to communicate with her daughter who had just given birth to her granddaughter.

She said she worried about the ‘large network’ of Smith's friends and found herself ‘looking over her shoulder’ and ‘feeling like a prisoner in her own town’.

The court heard Smith has 44 previous convictions for 75 offences, six of which were against the person and committed between 1990 and 2010, while the majority are for dishonesty.

The 47-year-old, of Redgate Close, Mansfield, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm, theft and possession of amphetamine.

Stefan Fox, mitigating, said Smith has served the equivalent of an eight-month sentence while on remand.

"He is candid about the sort of help he needs," he said. "He is remorseful for what he has done."

Sentencing, Mr Recorder Benjamin Nolan QC said it was a ‘very unpleasant’ offence against a vulnerable victim. He imposed an 18-month community order with the building better relationships programme and 30 rehabilitation days.

A two-year restraining order, banning Smith from all contact with his victim, was also imposed.