He assaulted his girlfriend at an East Yorkshire holiday park
Damien Morrison, pictured outside Hull Crown Court(Image: Hull Live)
A drunken and jealous bully viciously attacked his terrified girlfriend after angrily accusing her of saying the name of another man while they were staying in a holiday caravan. Aggressive and bad-tempered Damien Morrison feared that the woman was cheating on him and he hurled nasty abuse at her during a heated confrontation in the caravan.
He caused damage to the caravan by smashing down a door and he slashed two of the woman’s car tyres – cutting himself in the process and leaving blood all around the caravan, Hull Crown Court heard. Morrison, 44, admitted assaulting the woman, causing actual bodily harm, and two offences of causing criminal damage, involving the caravan and two car tyres, on June 6 last year.
Richard Butters, prosecuting, said Morrison and the woman were in a turbulent relationship for more than six years and they had a child together. They were staying in a caravan at Thornwick Bay holiday park at Flamborough, near Bridlington.
The woman had texted Morrison telling him not to go there but he insisted on doing so. While they were there, Morrison got drunk and was confrontational and jealous.
He thought that she had said another man’s name and he kept demanding to know what the name was that she had supposedly said. “She tried to explain that she didn’t say another man’s name,” said Mr Butters.
Morrison became more angry and the woman, from Immingham, gave him the car keys and told him to leave. She told him that if he did not leave, she would go to the security office but he refused to leave.
The woman left, wearing no shoes, and went to a public area of the caravan park. She was reluctant to go to the security office because she did not want to be asked to leave.
She went back to the caravan and Morrison was still very angry. The woman picked up her coat, socks and shoes and headed back to the security office. She asked for a spare key.
When she went back to the caravan, it was locked. Morrison opened the door, pushed her, called her a “sl*g” and accused her of having sex with someone.
“He was pushing and shoving her around,” said Mr Butters. Morrison pushed her into a table and she punched him twice in the face, causing him to stagger backwards.
She ran into the bedroom and tried to stand agaimst the closed door and barricade herself inside.
Morrison banged on the door and shouted that he had slashed two of her car tyres. The woman called 999 and begged Morrison to stop.
He managed to force his way into the room by smashing the door. Once he was inside, there was a physical confrontation and she tried to get him to leave.
Morrison punched the woman in the face and the confrontation continued in the bedroom. The police arrived. “The defendant’s blood was all over the caravan,” said Mr Butters.
It most likely came from Morrison cutting his own finger when trying to puncture two car tyres. He had thrown the woman’s mobile phone and keys from the caravan and these were later found a short distance away.
She had suffered a cut to her mouth and bruises. The total damage to the caravan was estimated at £6,400. “She no longer wants to have any contact with this defendant,” said Mr Butters.
During police interview, Morrison made no comment to all questions.
He had convictions for 56 previous offences, including a large number for dishonesty. He had been jailed for 18 months in 2004 for harassment and assault causing actual bodily harm and he was jailed in 2019 for five years and three months for domestic burglary offences.
Derek Duffy, mitigating, said that Morrison pleaded guilty and he had already served about six months in custody before being released on bail. He had suffered long-standing problems.
Judge John Thackray KC told Morrison: “This was a turbulent relationship, that’s clear. You behaved in a disgraceful manner. You were shouting the most disgraceful comments and you then proceeded to attack her, causing bruising.
“This was prolonged and persistent. You were in drink and you have a bad record of previous convictions, which are very relevant. You represent a high risk of serious harm to partners.”
Morrison, of Judson Avenue, Manchester, was given a two-year suspended prison sentence, a six-month monitoring order, 26 sessions of a probation service domestic abuse programme and 30 days’ rehabilitation. He was given a 10-year restraining order and is banned from going near the woman’s Immingham home.
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