Prison for Northampton who used broken bottle to stab woman in a private area

A 31-year-old man Northampton man has been jailed for stabbing a woman in the genitals with a broken bottle following a night out in Derby.

Craig Swanwick, of Dallington Road, Dallington and the victim were in a hotel room in the city when they were overheard arguing by the man in the next room.

That argument subsided, Derby Crown Court heard, but a short while later the same witness heard the sound of glass smashing and then screaming coming from the room.

The victim then “crawled out of the room screaming for help” and the hotel manager came to her aid, holding Swanwick until the police and an ambulance crew arrived,

The woman he stabbed suffered cuts to her genitals up to 3cm in length while her attacker has been put behind bars for 15 months after pleading guilty to unlawful wounding and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Jailing Swanwick, Judge Jonathan Bennett said: “This was a deeply disturbing incident where you used a weapon in the most intimate place.

“The weapon, a bottle, was a dreadful weapon to use in the circumstances and this offence is exacerbated because you were in drink.

“It was quite a sustained incident and she suffered a number of injuries, thankfully minor, to her face, ankles, legs and arms.

“But the most serious aspect of this assault was the cuts she suffered to her genitalia from the bottle you used.”

Clive Stockwell, prosecuting, said the offence happened at the Stuart Hotel, on London Road, Derby in the early evening of September 15, last year.

He said Swanwick and the woman were in the hotel room when they started to argue.

Mr Stockwell said: “A man in the next room told the police he heard swearing and shouting coming room but this died down.

“A short while later he heard the sound of glass smashing against the wall.

“(In an interview later) the woman said she felt something being rammed between her legs.

“It was broken glass and it cut her genitals.

“The defendant left the room and she crawled out shouting for help.

“The manager was called and kept them both at the hotel until an ambulance and the police arrived.”

Mr Stockwell said as well as the cuts to her genitals, the victim suffered bruising to her ankle, legs, face and arms.

Swanwick, of Dallington Road, Northampton, was arrested and in interview said he could not remember carrying out the attack because he was so drunk.

Emma Hodgson, mitigating, said: “The defendant has written a letter in which he expresses his horror at what he has done.

“The defendant is educated to degree level and in May of this year got a new job where he has been named employee of the month.

“He is ambitious and wishes to progress with the company and he will loses his employment if he receives custody.

“He shows a high level of remorse.”