• Wed. Feb 19th, 2025

Man shoved partner into kitchen cupboard on Boxing Day

Byoxfordnewspaper

Feb 17, 2023

A man who shoved his partner into a kitchen cabinet on Boxing Day – chipping her tooth – walked from court with a community order.

Having been arrested then remanded by the magistrates on Boxing Day, dad-of-five Ryan Mickelburgh spent almost the whole of January behind bars before he was released from prison on bail by a crown court judge.

Appearing before Oxford Crown Court on Thursday (February 16), Mickelburgh, of Crowsley Way, Sonning Common, maintained his not guilty plea to a charge of causing actual bodily harm but pleaded guilty to an alternative, lesser charge of assault by beating.

Opening the Crown’s case against Mickleburgh, prosecutor Nigel Ogborne described the assault as a ‘classic Boxing Day encounter’.

The attack happened in the early hours of December 26, the adults in the house having spent several hours consuming alcohol.

“The defendant at some stage is clearly in a bit of a rage in the kitchen. The defendant pushes the complainant [his partner] with force out of anger into a kitchen cupboard. The complainant chips her front tooth and it bleeds,” Mr Ogborne said.

There were children in the house at the time, but it was not suggested they had witnessed the assault.

The victim, Mickelburgh’s partner, was said to have filed a withdrawal statement since the incident was originally reported in December.

Mickelburgh had 17 previous convictions, the court heard, although he had been out of trouble for more than a decade.

Mitigating, Dana Bilan said her client – a self-employed property maintenance man – was the breadwinner for the family, paying the rent on their four-bedroom home.

“Upon reflection [the defendant] accepts his behaviour, accepts pushing the complainant, and is very regretful and ashamed of his action,” the barrister said.

The defendant was remanded in custody for 33 days and had served a further 11 on a curfew tag, meaning he had served the equivalent of an almost three month sentence.

Sentencing, the Recorder of Oxford Judge Ian Pringle KC said the maximum for the offence of assault by beating was six months in custody. Taking into account the mitigation and time off for his guilty plea, Mickelburgh might receive a prison sentence of three or four months.

Instead, he imposed a 12 month community order with 80 hours of unpaid work. If he breaches the order, Mickelburgh is liable to be resentenced by the judge and could receive a prison sentence.

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This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.

To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @t_seaward