Scarborough thug jailed after breaking partner's leg in two places in drug-fuelled attack

Adam Askew, 22, stamped hard on the victim’s leg “three or four times” after punching her, grabbing her by the hair and pushing her to the ground.

The vicious attack occurred at the flat they shared in Blueberry Way, where Askew was smoking crack cocaine in the bathroom moments before he set upon the named victim, York Crown

Court heard.

Prosecutor Jade Edwards said the victim turned off the bathroom light to stop him and “pleaded with him to respect (her) property”.

This “enraged” Askew, who told her: “Turn the light back on or I’ll punch you in the mouth.”

He then came out of the bathroom and punched her on the lip, before grabbing her by the hair.

She tried to escape and phone her friend for help, but Askew “grabbed her, pushed her to the floor and (repeatedly) stamped on her left leg”, said Ms Edwards.

The victim was “screaming out” in pain but Askew, who was wearing trainers, ignored her and snatched her phone from her hand.

He then threw the handset, which smashed after skimming her head.

“When…she stood up she was unable to stand up properly due to the pain,” added Ms Edwards.

“(Askew) ran from the hallway and told her he was going to kill himself.”

Terrified, the victim tried to leave the flat, but as she did so, Askew pulled out a Taser gun and said: “I’ll Taser you.”

Becoming increasingly weak due to her injuries, the victim fell down the stairs.

She finally managed to get out and later returned with her mother, who demanded to be let in but was told by Askew that he had a stun gun and that if they came inside the property or called police, he would get the victim arrested.

The following morning, the victim complained of excruciating pain in her leg and said she needed to go to hospital, but Askew wouldn’t let her “because they’d find out what he’d done”, said Ms Edwards.

“He refused to let her go (to hospital) and refused to let her get painkillers or medication, telling her it was just a strain and to simply ‘man it out’,” added the prosecutor.

The following day, the pain in her badly bruised leg became even worse and began to swell and turn blue.

“She (again) pleaded with him to take her to hospital, but he refused,” said Ms Edwards.

It was only when the victim’s friend told Askew that she should go to hospital that he relented, but on the way to the infirmary he was “questioning (the victim) about what she was going to say”.

She told hospital staff she had suffered the injuries by falling down the stairs while carrying a bike.

She returned to hospital for an operation in which surgeons inserted metal pins into her ankle to support her shattered leg.

She had suffered two fractures to her shin.

The matters were ultimately reported to police and Askew was arrested.

He was hauled in for questioning but initially denied the attack, even claiming the victim’s injuries were self-inflicted.

His now “heartbroken” former partner said she was so traumatised following the attack on February 22 that she was unable to eat or sleep.

She no longer felt safe in her home, felt isolated and was worried that Askew would return when he was released from prison.

Her leg was encased in a pot for four weeks when she had to hobble around on crutches.

She had been taking painkillers and daily blood-thinning medication to prevent blood clots due to her mobility problems.

She was left with a large scar down the front of her leg which would be a “permanent reminder of what he did” and had been warned the leg may become arthritic.

She said it wasn’t the first time that Askew had attacked and verbally abused her and that he had been using drugs “heavily”.

Askew, now of no fixed address, ultimately admitted causing grievous bodily harm and appeared for on Wednesday April 27 after being remanded in custody.

The court heard he had 14 previous convictions for 32 offences, including battery.

Andrew Petterson, mitigating, said Askew had found his time on remand “very difficult” and asked judge Simon Hickey to suspend the inevitable prison sentence.

But Mr Hickey described the attack as “horrifying” and that it could have had even worse consequences if Askew had been wearing harder footwear.

Jailing Askew for two-and-a-half years, the judge praised the victim’s bravery and resilience.

Askew was also served with a 10-year restraining order banning him from contacting the victim, going to her home, or posting anything about her on social media.