Craig Verity took offence when his partner didn’t make him a snack when they returned from a night out
A petty argument about – “of all things” – a sandwich suddenly turned violent in the early hours of the morning when a man angrily pushed his girlfriend, causing her to fall awkwardly and break her hand area in two places. Ex-train driver Craig Verity took offence and lashed out with “petulance” and a “sense of entitlement” when she made herself a sandwich – but not one for him – after a night out.
The fracture injuries left the woman unable to play the piano, touch-type or hold her baby grandson, Hull Crown Court heard. Verity, 61, of Tudor Drive, off Hall Road, north Hull, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on the woman on March 1.
Amber Hobson, prosecuting, said that Verity was, at the time, in a relationship with the woman but she claimed that there had been a background of abuse within it. They went out drinking in Brough and returned to the woman’s home at 12.45am.
They made something to eat. Verity got some ham. He went to get some tinned tomatoes from the fridge but spilled them and they went down the fridge and onto the floor.
While he was clearing up the mess, she made a sandwich for herself – but not one for him. “An argument broke out and he shouted at her for not making him a sandwich and he became angry with her,” said Miss Hobson.
The woman told Verity: “You don’t get to talk to me like that. Get out.” Verity pushed her on her left shoulder, causing her to fall onto the floor. “She fell onto her left arm and noticed that her wrist looked unnaturally bent and that she was in significant pain,” said Miss Hobson.
Verity claimed that the woman grabbed him before this and that she tried to grab him again at the time of the push. The prosecution did not contest this. The woman’s arm was broken in two places and she needed a plaster cast.
She was referred to the fracture clinic and might never fully recover functionality in her arm. The woman could not play the piano – one of her hobbies – and she could not touch-type. She was permanently scarred and she was concerned that her arm might be crooked for the rest of her life.
It was a spontaneous, short-lived assault but a permanent, irreversible injury had been caused, said Miss Hobson. Verity had convictions for two previous offences, a public disorder matter in 1981 and assault causing actual bodily harm in 1995.
Julia Baggs, mitigating, said that Verity had shown remorse. “He is deeply sorry for what he has done,” said Miss Baggs. “He acted inappropriately at the time.
“He was in complete shock about what he had done. He was absolutely devastated about the impact on her and his family and he is deeply ashamed.”
Verity acted properly later and he took the woman to hospital for treatment. They had been together for about four years. “She does not want him to go to prison,” said Miss Baggs.
Verity had recently retired but he had a long work history, including being a train driver for many years. He was a father and grandfather.
Recorder Caroline Sellars told Verity: “After an evening out, there was an argument over, of all things, a sandwich. She asked you to leave during the course of this argument.”
He showed “petulance” and “perhaps a sense of entitlement” by refusing to leave. The woman tried to grab Verity to remove him physically but he pushed her with enough force that she fell backwards. Because of the way she landed, she broke her wrist in two places. It was pinned and plates were put in.
“Those pins and plates will never be removed,” said Recorder Sellars. “Her hand will always be scarred and it is likely always to appear crooked.
“The incident had horrible consequences by a single push.” The woman’s ability to hold her baby grandson had been affected.
Verity was given a one-year suspended prison sentence, a two-month alcohol abstinence monitoring order, 10 days’ rehabilitation and a probation service domestic abuse course.