Womans face scarred for life after partner hurled glass at her

AN ALCOHOLIC thug left his partnerâ€™s face scarred for life after hurling a pint glass at her.

John Duckworth's victim needed up to 90 stitches to her wounds, which included a gaping gash to her chin, and required surgery for a torn eyeball.

"That will be, for her, something she will have to bear and carry with her for the rest of her life," Judge Timothy Smith told John Duckworth as he jailed him for five and a half years.

Manchester Crown Court heard how Duckworth and his victim had been in a relationship for three years but it was dominated by his chronic alcoholism.

Duckworth, who began drinking at school, would regularly down six two-litre bottles of cider a day before starting on spirits and would not leave the house before he had a drink.

The court was told that, since 2003 police have been called out to incidents involving six different partners, four of which resulted in convictions.

"You were effectively, for a long period of your life, it would seem, in an almost permanent state of intoxication," Judge Smith told Duckworth.

"You managed, however, to attract partners. They may have been sympathetic for you, I don't know. Many of them may have hoped you would change â€" you did not."

Daniel Lister, prosecuting, told how, despite being in a relationship with Duckworth, his partner married another man in July last year and he may have been jealous.

On December 7 last year she went to stay with Duckworth at his father's house. She and Duckworth were both drinking and a row developed.

"He picked up an empty pint glass and threw it directly into her face from a distance of only two or three feet," said Mr Lister.

"The glass shattered and she describes being shocked by the blood and in pain."

The woman, who spent two days in hospital, had a 10cm gaping wound from her lip down to her chin and a torn eyeball which needed surgery.

In a victim statement read out in court the woman said: "The doctor said that if tha glass had gone a bit further to one side it could have cut a nerve or main artery and been fatal.

"This assault has knocked mt confidence for six. I worry about people asking me about how I got the injury to my face. I don't go out as much as I used to."

Duckworth, aged 37, of Wrenbury Drive, Sharples, pleaded guilty to intentionally causing grievous bodily harm on the day his trial was due to start.

Mark Friend, defending, said he is remorseful and, while awaiting sentence in prison, has been able to see his life through sober eyes for the first time.

"He has undergone something of a epiphany over the last few months," said Mr Friend.

Judge Smith made a restraining order banning Duckworth from contacting his victim or going to her home or workplace.

He told Duckworth that alcohol had been the "ruin" of him.

"It has, as far as the victim of this offence is concerned, been in many ways, the ruin of her," he added.