A MAN from Newcastle appeared in Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Wednesday to face two charges. The first was assaulting Melissa Jones on September 21, and the second was using threatening, abusive and insulting words or behaviour toward Sophie Puglia on the same date. Scott Younger, aged 25, pleaded guilty to both offences.
Prosecuting, Mr Vaughan Pritchard-Jones said: “Younger had gone to the Trafalgar public house in Milford Haven and was later joined by his girlfriend and her daughter, but later there was a bad atmosphere between them, and Melissa Jones left with her daughter after being accused of wanting to be with the man her daughter was talking to.
“She realised that she was being followed by Younger and was being shouted at in the street while Jones was telling Younger to ‘grow up’. Younger grabbed her by the face and punched her. She carried on walking when he grabbed her again and head-butted her.
“She continued to walk home and when they got to Lidl supermarket Sophie Puglia intervened and stood between them. Younger put his head in her face and told her to ‘stay out of it’, which she did as she was scared of being assaulted.
“The defendant has pleaded guilty to the assault on Miss Jones, though not guilty to threatening Miss Puglia, and changed his plea to guilty later on.
“There would be no point in a restraining order as Jones is back in a relationship with Younger”.
Defence solicitor, Michael Kelleher said: “Younger recalls very little about this incident. He pleaded guilty immediately and feels ashamed about what has happened”.
“Any suggestion that he is in denial of this offence is wrong. He has accepted what he has done and is extremely sorry. Younger is now in a relationship with Jones and she is now his fiancée.”
The chairman of the Bench told Younger: “This is a very serious assault and was prolonged. We know the distance from The Trafalgar to Lidl”.
Magistrates fined Younger a total of £210 to pay in 28 days and granted a custodial order of supervision for 24 months. He must also undertake 150 hours of unpaid work and undertake IDAP (Integrated Domestic Abuse Programme).
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