No jail for thug Simon Smith who 'split woman's head open' with Echo Falls wine bottle in Chinnor

Simon Smith, of Banbury Road, Kidlington, had denied one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

But last month a jury at Oxford Crown Court found the 54-year old guilty of the booze-fuelled attack that left his partner with blood pouring from an inch-long gash on her forehead.

During the trial the court heard how Smith had lashed out at his victim while at her Chinnor home on the night of April 21 last year.

Outlining the case prosecutors said that Smith was drunk, having been with the woman - his victim - to a pub and to a barbecue, drinking with friends throughout the day.

When they returned to the woman's house a row broke out about his behaviour and as he went to leave he struck her to the head with a bottle of wine.

Taking to the witness box to detail the assault during the trial the woman said there had been 'no animosity' earlier that day and they had had a good time.

She said that both of them had been drinking and claimed that on an ascending scale of one to 10 for drunkenness she was 'about five or six' while Smith was 'eight or nine'.

Recalling the attack which followed she said: "He swung around and hit me around the head with the bottle.

"My head was split open, it had to be glued."

She said that Smith then 'panicked' before throwing the full bottle of Echo Falls wine on the floor and leaving the house.

The woman was left with an inch-long gash on her forehead and pouring blood.

Her 18-year-old daughter saw the assault while the couple’s four-year-old daughter overheard the ordeal, and later spoke to her mum of ‘naughty daddy’ ‘banging mummy’s head.’

Smith was arrested later that night at The Crown having fled there and having continued drinking despite the shocking violence.

At an earlier hearing the court heard how painter and decorator Smith was grieving at the time for his son who had recently died.

During mitigation it was revealed that he and his former partner also had alcohol issues, and that their daughter is currently in foster care.

Sentencing yesterday, Judge Nigel Daly ordered that Smith be made subject to a community order to include 150 hours of unpaid work and 25 days rehabilitation activity requirement.

He must also pay a victim surcharge.