Man who kicked woman twice in stomach jailed for three years

Sunday 22 May 2022

A man who twice kicked a woman in the stomach has been sent to prison for three years.

Roger James Baksa was sentenced by the Royal Court on Friday, having been found guilty of a charge of grave and criminal assault and another of attempting to pervert the course of justice, following a four-day trial in February.

The serious assault took place at a property in St. Helier on 15 June last year.

After the attack, Baksa was in regular contact with the woman, in breach of his bail conditions. The Crown’s case at trial was that the purpose of this was to persuade her to retract her statement about the assault and not to give evidence in the following proceedings.

After the assault, the Court heard that his behaviour towards her appeared to change overnight for the better; and the woman agreed to retract the two statements she had given to police.

However, the pleasant conversations only lasted for a few days afterwards, before Baksa resumed his pattern of emotional abuse.

On 5 September, he was arrested for breaching his bail conditions and was remanded in custody two days later.

The Royal Court sentenced him to two years in custody for the grave and criminal assault and an extra year in prison for perverting the course of justice.