Sentence for violent domestic assault upheld on appeal due to high culpability and statutory aggravating factors

The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal of a man convicted in the Circuit Court for the violent assault, false imprisonment, and threats to kill his former partner, upholding a sentence of 13 years' imprisonment (with the final 2 years suspended). The appellant challenged the severity of the sentence, arguing that the injuries inflicted did not warrant the headline sentence determined by the trial judge. The Court of Appeal found no error in principle, highlighting the appellant's high culpability, repeated breaches of court orders, and statutory aggravating factors related to domestic violence. The judgment also noted the persistent and escalating nature of the offending, which involved extended violence in a public setting, disregard for bail conditions, and ongoing psychological harm to the victims. The decision clarifies that courts must now impose more deterrent sentences in cases of serious domestic violence against current or former partners under recent legislative changes, and in this case, the original sentence was found to be proportionate and justified.