Scarborough man jailed after stubbing cigarette out on woman's head before subjecting her to vicious assault

Luke Robinson, 27, was drunk when he launched the attack on his then girlfriend at her home in Scarborough in August last year, York Crown Court heard,

Prosecutor Kelly Clark said Robinson and the named victim had been in a “toxic” relationship since June 2024 in which arguments were a frequent occurrence.

Robinson was released from prison in August last year and went on a drink-and-drug binge.

On August 5, shortly after his release from jail, Robinson and the victim were drinking at her home in Scarborough and had another argument during which he put a cigarette out on her forehead, causing her pain and a red mark to her head.

Later in the evening, Robinson punched her in the side of her head, kicked her in the back and the stomach.

However, she did call police to report the incident and Robinson was arrested at her address three days later.

Robinson was released on bail or under investigation pending further enquiries.

Nearly a year later, in July this year, he went to the victim’s home after chatting to her on Snapchat.

“During this…he punched her to the face,” added Ms Clarke.

The victim, who suffered an eye injury from the punch, dialled 999 as Robinson fled the scene.

Two days later, police found Robinson at an address in Scarborough and arrested him.

He was charged with common assault in relation to that incident and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in connection with the first incident in which he stubbed a cigarette out on her forehead.

He ultimately admitted both offences and appeared for sentence via video link on November 11 after being remanded in custody.

In a statement read out by the prosecution, the victim said she suffered both mental and physical abuse for two years at the hands of Robinson.

She said that for most of those two years, she felt “controlled and manipulated” by him.

The victim was described as “hard-working, kind and caring”.

“She says that (Robinson) has destroyed her as a person and took away the person she used to be, and some days she struggles to leave the house,” added Ms Clarke.

Robinson - whose two registered addresses on the Crown Court records are Sandybed Lane, Scarborough, and Tithe Road, Wolverhampton - had 27 previous offences on his record, notably 10 previous convictions for violence.

Defence barrister Brogan Riley said that Robinson turned to alcohol and drugs following the murder of his 26-year-old brother Solomon in 2019, followed by the death of his mother.

She said that after Robinson’s release from prison in August last year, he began drinking until he “blacked out” and was in the grip of “significant substance misuse”.

Judge Simon Hickey said that Robinson’s offences against his ex-partner were aggravated by his dreadful record for violence.

Robinson was jailed 12 months for the ABH and given an extra two months, to run consecutively, for the common assault.

He was told he would serve less than half the total 14-month jail sentence behind bars - less the time he had spent on remand - before being released.

He also made a five-year restraining order banning Robinson from contacting the victim and going to her home or workplace.