Enraged husband batters 'flirty' wife

'Explicit' messages triggered attack, court told

A JEALOUS husband attacked his wife after she began working in a bar, flirting and staying out late, Newbury magistrates heard.

In the dock on Thursday, August 27, was 35-year-old Ben Huntley, who is now estranged from wife Peige.

Helen Gambrill, prosecuting, said the attack happened at the family home in Bradfield Southend.

She said: “His wife says he slapped her four times on either side of the face, using both hands. He grabbed her face and pushed her back against the wall. He then got on top of her on the bed and punched her in the mouth, lifted her skirt and slapped her on the thigh. She told the children to go next door and phone the police, which they did.”

Mr Huntley admitted committing assault by beating on June 28, but on the basis that he only slapped his wife and did not punch her.

He has a previous conviction for a prior domestic incident, the court was told.

Magistrates accepted his basis of plea and Nadine Colyer, defending, said: “They had been together for four or five years, and married for two years. Then she started working in a bar and he witnessed her flirting with a male. There were explicit messages on her phone. He became frustrated and jealous, and these feelings built up until this happened.”

She added: “He acknowledges that what he did was wrong and that he has an anger problem that he needs to address.”

Mr Huntley, a father of two who lives at Southend Road, Bradfield Southend, was told that magistrates required pre-sentence reports and that these would be on al “all options basis, including custody.”

He was meanwhile released on conditional bail until September 17.