A prolific York criminal has been jailed for over four years for robbery and a “despicable” attack on his ex-partner in which he broke her eye socket and bit her on the arm.
Callum Brown’s vicious attack left the woman needing surgery after he punched her in the face more than 20 times, York Crown Court heard.
He was on bail for the offences against his then partner when he robbed a man in York city centre, leaving the victim traumatised.
Prosecutor Austin Newman said that Brown, 27, from Earswick, was jealous of his ex-partner with whom he had been living at her rented accommodation in Manchester. He was physically and verbally abusive to her and blamed her for his mental-health problems.
The named victim said Brown was “jealous and possessive” and tried to control her day-to-day life which affected her work and education and led to her being isolated from friends and family.
“He (wrongly) accused her of flirting with his friends and of having affairs with other men at her work,” said Mr Newman.
“When they argued, he would often threaten to self-harm, sending her emails saying he would harm himself and blame her. On occasion, he would film his attempts to self-harm and send a video of it to her.”
As the relationship deteriorated, Brown became increasingly violent and matters came to a head in August 2021 when he attacked the victim while staying at her flat.
“He pushed her to the floor where he pinned her down,” added Mr Newman.
“When she struggled, he repeatedly punched her in the face and to the head.”
The victim said that Brown struck her more than 20 times during the frenzied attack which caused “severe” facial injuries including a broken eye socket. He eventually got off her but then proceeded to kick her in the ribs, before standing on her fingers.
She ran out into the street to call for help and was seen bleeding from her injuries and in a “very distressed” state by members of the public.
She was taken to hospital after suffering severe bruising to her face and arms, bleeding in her eyes and a bite mark to her arm. She underwent surgery for the fractured eye socket and was discharged from hospital about a week later but suffered ongoing problems such as double vision and excruciating pain which had had a profound impact on her daily life. She was also left with scarring under her eye.
She returned home to find that Brown had been back at the flat and smashed up and thrown around items inside her property including her whiteboard, her glasses, camping gear, garden decorations and car keys.
The damage to various fixtures and fittings resulted in a repair bill of some £1,279 and she lost most of her deposit.
Brown, of Lock House Lane, was arrested and interviewed following the attack, which he denied. He was released on bail on condition that he didn’t contact or approach the victim who didn’t hear from him until May this year, by which time he had committed the robbery in York.
On May 5, she received a threatening email from Brown, “blaming her for breaking up the relationship”.
“He said that all the private details of their relationship would be aired in public if the case against him went to court,” added Mr Newman.
“The email was an act of intimidation designed to put pressure on her to withdraw her complaints.”
Arrested again
Brown was arrested again and charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent, damaging the victim’s property, using controlling and coercive behaviour towards her and witness intimidation by sending the hostile email.
He ultimately admitted all offences except causing GBH with intent, but later admitted an alternative charge of causing grievous bodily harm without intent.
He also admitted the robbery in York in which he and two other men, Richard Webster, 30, and 33-year-old Sean Brown, terrorised a man who had simply gone to buy goods from an all-night shop in the city centre.
Brown, Webster and Sean Brown, who were drunk, forced the named male victim to buy them alcohol and cigarettes after one of their bank cards was declined.
The victim tried to walk away but was put held in a bear hug by Callum Brown. He finally relented after being bullied and threatened by the robbers and paid £33.77 for their booze and cigarettes.
Last month, York bouncer Webster, of Fourth Avenue, was jailed for 15 months. Sean Brown, of Rowena Close, Derby, was handed a 13-month prison sentence.
At yesterday’s hearing, Callum Brown’s ex-partner, who was a student at Salford University and worked as a dental assistant, said Brown’s actions had had a devastating effect on her life.
It had resulted in her losing her job, affected her education and stymied her dreams of becoming a dentist.
She said that Brown had subjected her to a “cycle of violence and control”.
“He could have killed me,” she added.
“He treated me as an object.”
Brown had a long criminal record which included theft, battery, drug offences, carrying weapons, attempting to escape from custody, threatening behaviour, assaulting emergency workers and taking vehicles. He also had a previous conviction for witness intimidation. In that instance, the victim was his own mother and it resulted in a nine-month prison sentence.
Brown’s solicitor advocate Neil Cutte said his client had been diagnosed with an emotionally unstable personality disorder.
Judge Sean Morris described Brown’s behaviour towards his ex-partner as “despicable” and said he had “resorted to violence” because of his own inadequacies and jealousy.
Brown was jailed for four years and seven months for the offences against his ex-partner and the York robbery. He was also slapped with a 10-year restraining order banning from contacting or approaching his former partner.