Pair jailed for violent attack on woman

Mateusz Rolicz, 32, and his girlfriend Angela Harris, 39, left the female victim a bloodied mess following the “sickening” assault on top of a stairwell inside a block of flats.

CCTV footage of the attack in Scarborough showed the woman being repeatedly punched, kicked, kneed in the head and stamped on.

With blood pouring from cuts to her head, the woman collapsed on the landing and was seemingly out cold, York Crown Court heard.

A barrage of kicks and punches crashed into her head and body as she lay limp and motionless on the floor, with Harris shouting and screaming abuse as Rolicz grabbed the woman by the hair and dragged her across the landing, before stamping on her again.

The shocking video footage showed the woman - staggering and dazed from the force of the blows - being pummelled after getting back to her feet and trying in vain to fight back.

Prosecutor Anthony Moore said Harris had been drinking with the female victim and her male friend inside the defendant’s flat on August 12 when an “altercation” occurred between the two women.

Harris told the woman to leave but violence erupted when Rolicz came up the stairs as she was leaving.

Rolicz, of no fixed abode, punched and kicked the woman to the floor, before kneeing and stamping on her. When her friend tried to help her to her feet and defuse the situation, he too was battered mercilessly.

The violent Scarborough pair were later arrested and charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and one count each of battery. They appeared for sentence via video link on Thursday after being convicted of the charges at a previous court hearing.

The court heard that Rolicz and Harris, of Kealia Court, both had previous convictions for an array of offences including violence, shoplifting and criminal damage. In the past Rolicz had twice been convicted of battering Harris.

James McGowan, for Rolicz, said his client, a Polish national who came to live in the UK 12 years ago, had been living rough and struggling with alcohol.

Barrister Amy Levitt said Harris, who worked as a cleaner and had joined a chapel, was “sickened” by her behaviour inside the block of flats.

Judge Andrew Stubbs QC said Harris had punched the woman in the head so many times “I lost count”.

“Despite her brave efforts to defend herself, you, Rolicz, kneed her repeatedly to the head and pulled her to the ground where the attack carried on,” he added.

“There were more kicks and then, sickeningly, she was stamped on (by Rolicz) while you, Harris, made sure she couldn’t escape. Anyone seeing this level of violence would be sickened by your behaviour.”

Rolicz was jailed for 25 months. Harris was given a shorter jail term of 17 months due to her timely guilty pleas.