Jailed: Thug who stamped on pregnant partner
A thug who stamped on a nine-month pregnant woman so hard he left a boot print on her stomach as she suffered 'the stuff of nightmares' was starting a 10-year jail sentence today.
The 22-year-old victim was carrying the baby of another man when she set up home with Paul Devaney, aged 32, last summer.
He knew that it was not his child but appeared to accept the situation.
But all that changed on November 7 after he downed 12 litres of cider, took a legal high and launched a horrifying attack on the young woman just days before the expected birth date. She was repeatedly punched and kicked and accused of unfaithfulness.
Mr Matthew Barnes, prosecuting revealed: "He hit her in the face, belly and arms and legs. He kept kicking and stamping on her and left a full boot print on her belly where the child's head was placed."
The lawyer said Devaney knew she was expecting another man's child when they started living together in August last year and had seemed to be 'OK with that.'
Her waters broke during the fearful beating and she was rushed to City Hospital, Winson Green from the eighth floor flat they shared in Harry Price House, Hartlebury Road, Smethwick after phoning 999 to raise the alarm.
She had extensive bruising to the face, arms, legs and chest and underwent an emergency Caesarian operation. Fortunately the baby was born without injury.
Unemployed Devaney had previous convictions for violence during which he had variously tried to throttle a man in a churchyard, hit another person over the head with a roof tile and twice stabbed a third man. He had further received two cautions for assaults on women.
Mr David Iles, defending, said of the most recent attack: "He feels embarrassed and ashamed and wants nothing said on his behalf. He knows he deserves punishment.
"This was a grave incident that jeopardised the safety of the unborn child. The mother suffered bruising but no long term consequences. The suggestion that he was jealous about the baby is a pitiful excuse but drink and drugs had removed all sense of reason from him."
Devaney admitted attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent and sexual assault and was jailed by Judge Peter Barrie who told him: "This was dreadful violence. You knew very well that she was about to have a baby. You left a clear foot mark where you stamped on her belly as she experienced the stuff of nightmares."
