A brandy-bottle wielding man who chased his wife into busy Wavertree traffic told police “it’s our culture” when asked why he attacked her.
Romanian national Decebal Ion, 43, was jailed for six months at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court after trying to smash the bottle over his wife, Adriana Ion, and smacking a four-year-old boy, knocking him off his bike.
Ion, of Windel Street in Toxteth , pleaded guilty to two charges of assault and one of possession of an offensive weapon.
The court heard Ion, who moved to the UK in 2009 and took up work as a Big Issue magazine seller, had drunk the entire bottle of brandy and claimed he could not remember the incident.
Kate Marchuk, prosecuting, told the court the pair were walking down Garrick Street, Toxteth, at around 9am on October 13 when witnesses heard a heated argument.
She said: “A struggle then followed with them appearing to wrestle with each other, falling onto cars parked in the street. She was seen to hit out at the defendant a number of times in self-defence. One of the people who witnessed this told them to stop but the defendant was then seen holding a glass bottle over his head.”
The court heard Ion chased the victim while trying to hit her with the bottle, but missed and fell to the floor in a drunken state.
Ms Marchuk said: “Mrs Ion ran out into busy traffic on Smithdown Road while trying to get away from the defendant.”
Ion then continued the chase while his wife shouted for the police, eventually sheltering in a stranger’s car while the driver and a passenger restrained him and took the bottle away.
The court heard he then walked off before smacking the child, who was among a group of people nearby.
Ms Marchuk said: “He told police he had a drink problem and was very drunk, having consumed a bottle and a quarter of brandy that day. Because of that he said he had no recollection of the events of that morning.
“He was asked if he thought it was acceptable behaviour to attack his wife, and he said that is what happens in their culture.”
The court heard Ion had not been convicted of any offence while in the UK, but no information on his criminal record in Romania was available.
Brian Smith, representing Ion, said: “To me he has demonstrated some contrition and certainly some remorse. He is aware that despite any cultural differences it is not acceptable and he has committed a serious offence.”
District Judge Wendy Lloyd, passing sentence, said: “You have caused your wife to run out into the road to escape you and the bottle your were brandishing. You then went on to assault the little boy, it seems he was just a victim of your uncontrollable anger.”
Ion’s family, sat in the public gallery, sobbed as he was led away to begin his prison sentence.
Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/