Prison for porter whose "abhorrent" attacks left woman with PTSD

Tuesday 24 January 2023

A former hospital porter, who grabbed a woman by the throat with so much force that she struggled to breathe, and later cracked a wardrobe by throwing her against it, has been sent to prison for two years over the "abhorrent" attacks.

Mark John Bartlett's (28) attacks left his victim in pain, bruised and with swelling to her eye, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

He was due to face a Royal Court trial over the two counts of grave and criminal assault, but entered guilty pleas to the offences just hours into the trial, when the case had already been opened to the jury.

The incidents took place in March and April 2020, with the first assault being the more severe according to Deputy Bailiff Robert MacRae, presiding.

Pictured: Bartlett was due to face a Royal Court trial, but changed his pleas to guilty on the afternoon of the first day.

Advocate Simon Thomas, prosecuting, said: "In the early part of 2020, the messaging between the defendant and [the woman] shows, on several occasions, admissions by the defendant that he struggles to control his temper and that he has treated [the woman] badly. The defendant accepts abusive name calling and, as he put it, 'kicking off' when he loses his temper.

"Often the defendant would express himself in contrite terms when this had happened and indicate that he was unable to control his anger."

The court heard that during the first assault, Bartlett had strangled the woman and hit her in the face multiple times.

"Her friend said to her that her face was purple and oozing. She told her friend that she had an argument and that had caused the injuries," said Advocate Thomas.

Bartlett initially apologised for her having to answer questions about her injuries, but later that day became annoyed and put pressure on her not to talk about them in a message.

A few weeks later, the woman's friend confronted Bartlett over what had happened. He started crying, admitted hitting her and said he was going to get help.

The following month, during an argument, Bartlett threw his victim against a wardrobe, causing it to crack. "It was plainly a forceful throw," the court heard.

Interviewed by Police, Bartlett denied ever attacking the woman and said the only time he had touched her was in defence. He said it was a "common occurrence" for this to happen. 

At another interview in October 2021, he then told officers that he couldn't remember how the injuries were caused. He said that he had been undergoing therapy and had disassociated himself from what happened because he didn't want to relive it - but continued to deny assaulting the woman.

Pictured: Bartlett denied attacking the woman during police interviews.

Advocate David Steenson, defending, said his client now finally accepted "the abhorrent nature" of what he had done.

"He is sorry and he is here to accept his medicine," Advocate Steenson said.

The advocate added that it was a "convenient retort" to suggest that Bartlett was not remorseful and that although previous similar cases had resulted in non-custodial sentences, he accepted that a jail sentence would be handed down by the court.

"I know times have changed, but for a man with two jobs and an excellent work record, not long ago a lawyer would have been asking for a community sentence," Advocate Steenson said.

Delivering the court's sentence, Deputy Bailiff Robert Macrae, presiding, said that "the general abhorrence and the need to deter others has led to penalties to increase" for violent assaults of this nature.

The case was heard by the Superior Number of the Royal Court, which only sits for the most serious of cases.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Constable Denis McGee said: "The victim in this case showed an immense amount of bravery and determination to see this through to the end. We want to assure victims that there are several agencies which are in a position to offer them support and guidance."