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Teenage lover's jaw shattered in single blow
A TEENAGER shattered his girlfriend's jaw with a single punch during a drunken fight.
College student Zoe Mitchell, 18, needed two titanium plates and eight screws to rebuild her jaw after the attack – which also knocked out a front tooth – on August 20.
Bradford Crown Court heard she and boyfriend Arron Leonard, 18, had drunk up to four pints of lager before they went back to his home in Heywood Mews, Pellon, Halifax, where they began to argue.
Duncan Ritchie, prosecuting, said the argument deteriorated into violence and as Miss Mitchell tried to grab Leonard's shoulder, he held her hands and punched her in the mouth.
Surgeons at Bradford Royal Infirmary operated on her jaw but could not replace her missing tooth because the gap was deemed too small.
Leonard denied punching Miss Mitchell, when he first spoke to the police. He said she had punched him. Later he admitted throwing a punch and pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm.
Richard Brown, for Leonard, said: "This was a single blow dealt following a degree of provocation. The blow was not in any way premeditated and there was no intention to cause any serious in- jury, but regrettably it did."
The court heard Leonard had no previous convictions and was sorry about the attack.
The couple are also believed to be back together.
Mr Recorder Ian Harris said: "This was a fit of drunken temper against Zoe Mitchell, your girlfriend, with such force you broke her jaw and knocked a tooth out. This behaviour is quite disgraceful.
"I reject that she provoked you. You are well-built. You don't hit anyone, least of all your girlfriend.
"I bear in mind that there appears to be a reconcilliation. If she has forgiven you then you are indeed very fortunate."
He said he also took into account Leonard's guilty plea and young age.
Leonard was sentenced to six months in a young offender institution, suspended for 12 months and a 12-month supervision order, with 80 hours of unpaid work.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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