A MAN who beat up his partner in the Debenhams car park has been spared jail – despite previous convictions covering 147 offences.

Russell Bastow took his partner’s bank card, and as she tried to take it back, “manhandled” her and punched her numerous times, Swindon Crown Court heard.

The defendant, who has 46 previous convictions for 147 offences, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm but said that she was aggressive towards him.

Judge James Townsend was persuaded a suspended sentence was appropriate.

The court was told on Friday (August 5) that police visited the victim on another matter when they noticed she had a black eye.

Prosecutor Alex Daymond said the woman didn’t want to make a statement, but told police about the assault.

Bastow, of Millais Close in Tadpole Garden Village, could be seen on CCTV in the Fleming Way car park in a verbal altercation with the woman.

“It is quite clear that the defendant was acting in an aggressive manner to the complainant and on a number of occasions manhandled her and punched her at least four times,” Mr Daymond said.

The woman also alleged he held a knife to her throat, although prosecutors could not prove this and a second count of making a threat with a bladed article was dropped.

Mr Daymond added that most of Bastow’s 147 previous offences were “inquisitive” – mainly burglaries or thefts.

But he said there were two assault by beating convictions from the 1990s and one assault of an emergency worker from February 2022. He was given a community order, which was still in force at the time of this incident in June.

Defending, Richard Williams said his client disputes that any threats were made, and that the complaint was “intoxicated and aggressive towards him”.

“Notwithstanding those assertions, he accepts he was very wrong and lost his temper, lost his cool and self-control.

“He wishes to apologise to the complainant and indicates his contrition for what he has done. At the same time, he accepts the relationship is now over.”

Mr Williams said Bastow was “committed to trying to fight his demons” and had struggled with Class A drug addiction.

He had managed to come clean but fell back into it when the pandemic meant he lost his job.

Judge Townsend imposed an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for 2 years. The 43-year-old must take part in 15 rehabilitation activity days and was given a five-year restraining order, preventing him from contacting the victim.