The judge said it was a ‘nasty incident’ and the man was jailed
A terrified woman suffered painful burns after her furious boyfriend “lunged” at her while he was holding a kettle full of boiling water and threatened to pour it over her. Christopher Musgrave suspected that she was secretly having an affair and he demanded to know what was going on and who he was.
The boiling water ended up getting spilled on the woman during the “nasty” incident after she desperately tried to grab the kettle from his hand, Hull Crown Court heard. Musgrave, 37, of Bransholme, Hull, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on the woman on January 22. He pleaded guilty on the day of a trial.
Benjamin Donnell, prosecuting, said that Musgrave and his girlfriend were arguing about a number of things, including over a man who worked with the woman. Musgrave accused her of having an affair with the man.
During the argument, Musgrave boiled a kettle to make himself a hot drink. He wanted the woman to give him her work colleague’s details otherwise he would pour the kettle of boiling water over her.
He went back into the kitchen and removed the lid of the kettle, exposing the boiling water. The argument continued and Musgrave lunged towards his girlfriend.
He flicked the kettle in her direction, causing the boiling water to hit her shoulder, arm and face. “She immediately tried to remove the kettle from the defendant’s hand,” said Mr Donnell.
There was a tussle between them as they both tried to get control of the kettle. “Boiling water was spilling from the top of it,” said Mr Donnell. The boiling water went over her. She went for treatment for burns to a Bransholme medical centre. She later said that the burns had caused her so much pain and stress and she had struggled to sleep because of the worry caused.
Julia Baggs, mitigating, said that Musgrave’s guilty plea was offered well before a scheduled trial, when a more serious charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent was dropped. “This is a man who is deeply remorseful about his actions,” said Miss Baggs
“It was a tussle over a kettle. He is very sorry. He is appalled with his behaviour. The relationship is, of course, over.”
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Musgrave had children and he had previously been very hard working. He had convictions for assault.
Judge John Thackray KC told Musgrave: “She was entitled to feel safe and secure in her own home and in your company. You made a threat to pour boiling water over her if she did not do what you wanted her to do.
“If that wasn’t bad enough, you went into the kitchen and returned with a kettle full of boiling water.” Musgrave lunged towards her and some boiling water went over her shoulder, arm and face.
“She must have been absolutely terrified,” said Judge Thackray. “Lots of boiling water made contact with various parts of her body and she was in tremendous pain. This was truly a nasty incident.”
Musgrave, who had been on bail, was jailed for 16 months. He was given a five-year restraining order.
“It may be that your risk could be managed in the community and that you could be rehabilitated,” said Judge Thackray. “Ultimately, for this very nasty incident, only appropriate punishment can be achieved by way of an immediate custodial sentence.”