Brave Halifax mum confronts violent ex-partner in court as he is jailed for attacking her while pregnant

A brave mum from Halifax who suffered a fractured leg during a campaign of domestic violence has described how she feared she was going to be killed by her abusive partner.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The woman told Leeds Crown Court how she was left in agony from attacks which included being punched in the stomach while pregnant.

Gary Lumb fractured the victim's leg by repeatedly stamping on her when he became angry after she came home late from a neighbour's house.

Read More
Calderdale resident hit with £1,000 fine for storing scrap vehicles and metal wi...
Gary Lumb, of Ackroyd Court, Elland,Gary Lumb, of Ackroyd Court, Elland,
Gary Lumb, of Ackroyd Court, Elland,
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lumb, who has a history of violence against former partners, was locked up for three years after pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm and two offences of common assault.

The woman was in severe pain for two months after Lumb caused the leg injury as she was too afraid to seek medical help.

She read a victim statement to the court describing the physical and emotional trauma she has suffered.

Lumb sat in the dock with his head bowed as the victim sobbed as she read her statement.

She said: "You have totally broken me down.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"You have taken my innocence. I believe I will carry this feeling for the rest of my life.

"There have been times when I thought I was going to die. No one should feel like that.

"All that went through my head was my children.

"The more I kept quiet, the harder it was."

Describing the attacks, Judge Robin Mairs said: "This is marked by viciousness and cowardice.

"You are a bully and you inflict violence on people who are weaker than you, to suppress and to destroy their confidence because of whatever inadequacies you feel you have.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"It is difficult to think of a more despicable way for a father to behave."

Dave Mackay, prosecuting, said Lumb became violent towards the woman soon after they formed a relationship in 2017.

The violence included punching her in the stomach when she was two months pregnant in January 2018.

Lumb attacked her shortly before Christmas last year because she "left the house inappropriately dressed."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He punched her repeatedly and pinned her to the wall by her throat during the attack at her home in Ovenden, Halifax.

The woman feared she had fractured a rib after the attack.

Lumb attacked his partner again on March 18 this year because he was angry at the length of time it took her to come home after sending her on an "errand" to a neighbour's house.

The defendant dragged her by her hair, slapped her across the face, kicked her in the shin and stamped on her multiple times.

Her leg was left badly swollen but she was too afraid to get seek medical help.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After seeing the injuries, Lumb said to her: "That's well bad. You will need to put some ice on that."

The prosecutor said Lumb would also "regale" the victim with stories of his relationships with other women.

He slapped her across the face as they argued about his relationship with another woman on April 29.

Mr Mackay said: "He told her to get out even though the house was in her name."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The victim went to live in a refuge with her children after the attack.

She sought medical help in May and it was discovered she had a split running down her shin bone.

Lumb, of Ackroyd Court, Elland, was arrested and told police: "It's hardly a domestic. I just gave her a slap."

He tried to claim he caused the leg injury when he was "playing football" in the kitchen.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lumb has three previous convictions for domestic violence against other women.

The victim also described to the court how she would dread coming home from the school run each day in case she returned to find Lumb in a bad mood.

Addressing him directly, she said: "The morning you broke my rib was so bad.

"I have dreams about your eyes still to this day and the feeling of when you took my breath because you would not stop punching.

"I thought you were going to kill me.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"All I got was a full force punch to the side of my head as if it was nothing."

The mum then went on to describe the attack in which Lumb injured her leg.

She said: "All I can remember is your black eyes staring at me while you continued to stamp and stamp.

"How could you do that to me?

"The woman who you are supposed to love and the mother of your child. I ask myself what did I do wrong?"

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She continued: "I thought he was going to change. But I was just deluding myself."

Claire Walsh, mitigating, said Lumb had issues with drugs and alcohol.

She said Lumb had mental health difficulties which had been made worse by the deaths of two of his friends.

Miss Walsh said Lumb had expressed "remorse and shame" over his behaviour.

The barrister said: "Nothing I say in mitigation is intended in any way to minimise the pain and suffering to (the victim)."