Leeds Crown Court: Controlling teenager left his pregnant girlfriend needing emergency surgery after assault

The assault carried out by Joe Hunter-Smith was described by a judge as a “vicious and unprovoked attack” that had left his 17-year-old victim with a “grave and life-threatening” injury that continues to cause her extreme pain six months on.

Leeds Crown Court heard Hunter-Smith, 18, was in an on-off relationship with the girl for a number of years and they moved in together in July 2021. He was just 15 when he started to demonstrate coercive and controlling behaviour towards her and it intensified following the birth of their first child. This included dictating who she could meet and stopping her from seeing her own family for weeks at a time. The court heard he had also made threats to kill her and even threatened her with a machete.

On September 11 last year, an argument began and Hunter-Smith became increasingly aggressive. He screamed abuse and dragged her to the bed, before pinning her down and kicking her so hard that she was left with internal bleeding.

Hunter-Smith, of Grasmere Road, Knottingley, refused to let her seek help initially, but she was eventually able to call her stepmother. She was taken to Pontefract Hospital and then Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield, where she went underwent emergency surgery for internal bleeding that had resulted in a blood clot. Medics told her that the clot could have proved fatal had they not operated.

The court heard the girl had terminated her pregnancy because of her injuries and continues to suffer physical and mental effects from the assault. In a victim impact statement read to the court, she said: “I constantly feel on edge. I just can’t get what happened to me out of my head. I just want to make sure that him and his family leave me alone. I just want to be left alone.”

Hunter-Smith admitted controlling or coercive behaviour and causing grievous bodily harm with intent. An alternative charge of causing grievous bodily harm was withdrawn, while a second charge of controlling or coercive behaviour will lie on file.

His barrister, Lily Wildman, said a letter written to the judge from her client showed he now felt genuine remorse. She noted the lack of stability and time out of education in his childhood, as well as his young age and immaturity. A number of character references were also submitted, which described him as a polite, honest, kind and thoughtful person.

However, the court heard a pre-sentence report had concluded that he posed a high risk of serious harm to the victim and to future partners. Judge Simon Phillips KC said: “This was a controlling relationship from the start. She was too scared and fearful of the consequences to make a complaint. She said she was petrified of you.”

He said the defendant had shown no remorse on the night of the assault, refusing to take his victim to hospital despite pleas that she was in agony. He added: “Your behaviour has had a significant impact on her, both physically and emotionally.”

He made Hunter-Smith the subject of an extended sentence, with a five-year custodial sentence and three years on licence. A restraining order was also issued.