A MAN who admitted assaulting a woman for a second time brought a bag to court in case he was jailed.
Damien Knight, of Meadow Sweet Court, Malvern, admitted assault by beating when he appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court on Monday, (September 12).
Knight also admitted breaching a suspended jail sentence given to him for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault.
He brought a bag packed with his belongings ready to be sent to jail.
However, he walked away from the magistrates court in Castle Street after being granted bail.
The court clerk explained the three-month jail sentence had been handed to him at Worcester Crown Court in October last year, but had been suspended for two years.
Jim Mason, prosecuting, said the 26-year-old had committed the offence on March 12 this year in Malvern.
He explained it was the prosecution's case Knight had thrown the victim to the floor after trying to take a mobile phone from her while she was trying to call the police.
He said Knight had pleaded guilty on a basis which was not accepted by the crown.
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Mr Mason added that the victim in the case had been the same woman in the offences for which Knight received the suspended sentence, arguing magistrates should send the case to the higher court crown.
Amarjit Singhara, defending, said his client had accepted grabbing the victim's hands to get hold of the mobile phone, but instead of throwing her to the floor the victim had instead stumbled to the ground.
Magistrates decided against holding a Newton hearing– a court session in which the facts of the case are established – instead saying the case would go to crown court for sentence.
Knight was asked to stand and chairman of the magistrates bench, John Hill, told him he should attend the next hearing of the case at Worcester Crown Court on October 19.
The chairman added Knight, of Meadow Sweet Court, Malvern, had unconditional bail in the meantime.
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