A violent thug with a history of attacking women was described in court as posing a “high risk” of harming females.
Leon Pick repeatedly attacked a girlfriend, and also punched another woman to the ground within moments of being introduced.
During one loss of temper, Pick floored his girlfriend with a forceful blow during a row in Leicester’s Market Place.
He continued aggressively berating her on the floor, before roughly pulling off her shoes and walking off with them to “humiliate and belittle her”.
When CCTV footage of the incident was shown at Leicester Crown Court, Judge Robert Brown asked 36-year-old Pick: “Did you see that?”
The defendant, who has 120 offences to his name, including domestic violence offences, replied: “Yes I did, I’m embarrassed.”
Pick, of Letchworth Road, New Parks, Leicester, appeared in court via a live video link with the prison where he was being held.
He pleaded guilty to a series of offences – two of causing actual bodily harm, assaulting an emergency worker, racially aggravated harassment, threatening behaviour, damage and an assault by beating – on various dates in September and November.
The latest crimes also put him in breach of a 28-day suspended jail sentence, imposed by magistrates on September 3, for assaulting a police officer, damage, battery and resisting a constable.
What did the prosecutor say?
Almas Ben-Ariba, prosecuting, said it was 20 days after receiving the suspended sentence that he assaulted a female in Aikman Avenue, New Parks.
The defendant was rowdily drinking with others outside a shop when the victim’s boyfriend – who had known Pick for 15 years – introduced her, saying: “Here’s my missus.”
Pick approached, saying “That’s why he’s got no money,” and punched her straight in the face.
Miss Ben-Ariba said: “It was unprovoked.
“She was knocked to the ground and suffered bruising and swelling to her left eye.”
Pick later assaulted his own girlfriend on October 18.
They had been in a relationship for several months and were arguing in Leicester’s Market Place when he aggressively punched her to the ground and made off with her shoes.
The police found her sitting on a bench in distress with a swollen lip.
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Pick was arrested 10 days later, after being found hiding in a cupboard at an address in Leicester and was then released on police bail.
On Sunday November 17, having made up with his girlfriend, he again attacked her at a friend’s house, biting her cheek and elbowing her in the face three times, because he thought she had cheated on him.
In the hours that followed he continued to strike her with the back of his hand in the street and punched her with clenched fists, in Fosse Road, in the city.
The following day he began punching her in the face in Aikman Avenue, until she sought refuge at a nearby house, with “significant” facial bruising and marks on her neck and lips.
On December 2, the police attended a city street where the defendant was attacking the same girlfriend.
She was sobbing on the ground, trying to protect herself, as he repeatedly aimed blows at her face.
When arrested he was volatile and kicked a policeman on the chest from inside the back of a police car and racially abused a female officer.
In his cell he damaged a £60 police blanket when trying to self-harm.
Victim is standing by her abuser
The defendant’s girlfriend told the judge she had forgiven Pick.
She had visited him in custody and their relationship was ongoing; she did not want a restraining order.
Judge Brown said the pre-sentence report assessed Pick as having a “high risk” of causing future harm to female partners and he advised her to seek help and support.
He said he understood she had helped Pick address his heroin addiction, which in turn had created alcohol dependence – a contributory factor to his violent temper.
Judge Brown urged her to end the relationship if the defendant’s behaviour did not improve following his release.
The sentences will only get longer
Sentencing, the judge told Pick he had a bad record for violence, including “a history of domestic violence” with former partners.
Judge Brown said: “One of your problems is alcohol and the other is heroin and I’m told until you sort out your substance abuse you cannot move forward and I think that’s right.
“If you continue to commit acts of violence you will get longer and longer sentences – the choice is yours.”
‘My behaviour was unforgivable’
Kelly Cyples, mitigating, said: “The defendant tells me that some aspects of his offending were forgotten because of the levels of alcohol involved.
“He had difficulty with heroin and although he maintained his (Methadone) prescription, he substituted that for alcohol.
“He says his behaviour was unforgivable.
“He wants to apologise for (racist) language used towards the police officer and he accepts he did it, but can’t recall it.
“In a letter to the court he says he wants to become a better person in the future.
“He found, with his girlfriend, a loving relationship and she helped him to stop using heroin but the alcohol turned him into a jealous and a violent man.
“He’s been attending courses to help him with his addiction and relationships.
“He’s been diagnosed with anxiety and depression.”
The sentence
Pick was jailed for two years and 28 days.
