Violent Jamie Sherlock attacked his girlfriend at her flat – then returned the following day in an attempt to make her lie to the police.

The 28-year-old engineer hit the victim in the face then kicked her, causing her to fall down a communal stairwell.

After fleeing the scene before police arrived, he went back to her flat the next day intending to get the victim to tell police she had made up the assault allegation.

But his attempts were recorded on a device she had been given by officers.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard Sherlock had been in an ‘inharmonious’ relationship with the victim for nine months when the incident occurred on March 1.

Prosecutor Harpreet Sandhu said: “At 6.30pm the complainant was at home in her flat with her cousin and a friend.

Jamie Sherlock attacked his girlfriend in her flat

“The defendant arrived. He was in a mood and was drunk. He began to argue with the complainant about the state and future of their relationship.

“While the complainant was on the floor and in a position of vulnerability, the defendant hit her to the face. He caught her nose with his arm and caused it to bleed.”

The court heard the victim then tried to leave the flat, but Sherlock locked the door. She managed to escape via another door, which led to a communal stairwell, and Sherlock followed.

Mr Sandhu said: “The defendant grabbed her by the upper body. She tried to get away from him which resulted in a scuffle. The complaint fell to the ground and the defendant kicked her to the right side of her face.

“The force of the blow caused the complainant to fall downstairs.”

The victim then escaped to a friend’s, and Sherlock ran away. The following morning, she was woken up by him banging on the window.

Mr Sandhu said: “Into the early hours of March 2 the defendant had attended the complainant’s flat to speak to her. She alerted police and was issued with a police alarm.

“At 7.30pm she was woken and saw him at the window. He was crying. She activated the police alarm which led to a call being generated to the police, allowing them to hear what the defendant said.

“He told her she should tell police she had made up the complaint because she had seen him kissing her cousin, and that she had sustained her injuries after falling while running downstairs when she was intoxicated.”

Police arrived at the scene and arrested Sherlock, of Whatmore Street, Smallthorne, after he had attempted to evade capture.

The father-of-one denied attacking the victim up until the day he was due to go on trial, when he changed his mind and pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The court heard he had previous convictions for affray, battery and breaching a restraining order.

Paul Cliff, mitigating, said: “This is a young man who has already paid a high price for his behaviour on that night. He had a well-paid job as an engineer for five years, but since he was remanded in custody he has lost that job.

“While trying to escape from the police he suffered quite a serious injury which will now cause an arthritic condition.

“He was exposed to domestic violence as a child which has affected him and he would welcome the chance to address his defective thinking.”

Judge David Fletcher sentenced Sherlock to a total of two years in prison.

He said: “This was a sustained assault in two parts – not something that happened on the spur of the moment.

“Your previous convictions show offences of violence and offences in the context of domestic disharmony.”