Woman, 66, who repeatedly smashed her abusive husband’s head with a kitchen weight avoids jail

A woman who battered her husband of 30 years with a kitchen weight because of his excessive drinking, has avoided jail.

Pauline Weeds, 66, hit her partner with the 4lb (2kg) weight in the doorway of their Ticknall, Derbyshire, home and went on to rain further blows on him as he slumped on the sofa.

Derby Crown Court heard how he suffered 28 separate lacerations to his head during the attack, including a fractured eye socket, cheek bone and nose.

He also needed 109 stitches to his head. 

It was revealed at an earlier hearing the couple have been married for more than 30 years, but for the last 10 of those the relationship has deteriorated due to his abusive behaviour towards her when he has been drinking.

Pauline Weeds, 66, hit her partner with the 2kg weight in the doorway of their Ticknall, Derbyshire, home

Judge Ebrahim Mooncey, who presided over the hearing, described this as an ‘unusual case’ and read out a report concerning the 66-year-old before sentencing her.

He revealed that her husband did not support the prosecution and had now stopped drinking.

He also heard that the progress had been made between the couple and he gave her a suspended sentence for her actions.

Judge Mooncey said: ‘This is an unusual case. You beat your husband up really badly, you know full well what the allegation was.

‘The marriage between you and Mr Weeds was ongoing for a long, long time.  He has not supported the prosecution and not co-operated with police.

‘You were having to look after him even though it was not reciprocated and felt it was your duty to look after him.

‘The victim has not co-operated with the police and refused to provide a statement to the police.

General view of Derby Crown Court, Derby

General view of Derby Crown Court, Derby

‘If you have problems in the future, straight away take yourself out of the situation. I’m going to trust you behave yourself.’

Speaking at an earlier hearing, Sarah Slater, prosecuting, said the attack happened at around 10.15pm on October 12, last year.

She said the defendant came running to a neighbour’s house and asked her if she would call an ambulance.

She said: ‘She said ‘he’s gone mad and tried to stab me, so I have hit him’.

‘The neighbour called 999 and went to the next door property where she saw Mr Weeds sat in the window. Police arrived and saw he was covered in blood.

‘His clothes were soaked in blood and he told them she had hit him with a kitchen weight.’

A vintage kitchen scale with weights (stock)

A vintage kitchen scale with weights (stock)

Miss Slater said at the earlier hearing that Mrs Weeds was questioned and she told officers he had drank too much and had come at her so she grabbed hold of one of the old-fashioned kitchen weights and hit him.

She said Mrs Weeds was taken to St Mary’s Wharf police station where she made ‘several significant comments’ such as ‘I should not have hit him’ and ‘I am in trouble now’.

Miss Slater said: ‘In her police interview she said her husband was violent towards her when he was drunk and that her temper had ‘got the better of her and she had gone really berserk, saying he looked ‘a right mess’.’

During the recent court case Irene Eagle, independent domestic violence advisor, had visited the couple.

She revealed that progress had been made, they were chatty together and were welcoming.

Ms Eagle also revealed Mr Weeds had stopped drinking.

Speaking at an earlier hearing, Tony Stanford, mitigating, said: ‘This is a very difficult sentencing exercise because there are two victims here.

‘He wants her back and she wants to go back to look after him.’

Judge Mooncey decided to hand Mrs Weeds a custodial sentence, but suspended it.

He gave her a two year sentence, suspended for two years.

He then handed her 50 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He said: ‘If you don’t commit any other offences in the next two years, it will bring this matter to an end.’

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