A MAN has narrowly been spared jail for head-butting his wife.

Kevin Maddison, currently of Summerhouse Road, Wroughton, maintained he was innocent of the charge of assault against his wife dating from December 28 of last year.

Maddison was sent to trial where he was convicted of the offence and on Wednesday he came before magistrates again for sentencing.

Nick Barr, on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service, explained that the offence had come to light a month after it had happened when police went to the home address and the woman disclosed the offence.

She told police: “He walked towards me, saying nothing, he didn’t look like Kevin for that split second. He pulled his head back towards the ceiling and without warning head-butted me in the face.”

Retreating back into the kitchen he then put her blood-covered clothes into the washing machine which she said felt as though he was trying to remove evidence.

A quarter of an hour later she was still bleeding quite badly so he took her to the Great Western Hospital.

On the way there he told her to tell the doctors that she had sustained the injury during a play fight.

“He was trying to brainwash me into thinking it was fine, but it wasn’t. He hurt me,” the woman said.

Despite being seen on her own by a doctor she told the doctor that she had sustained the injury as her husband had instructed.

Mr Barr read extracts from her statement to the police in which she said: “He has always been controlling in the ten years we have been together. I had been talking about leaving Kevin but wasn’t sure I would ever have the courage to do so. I thought enough is enough.”

But defending him Emma Hanslip said that Maddison – who is currently declaring his personal business as bankrupt - had in fact been in court the previous day for breaching his bail after he saw his wife at her invitation and she had asked the prosecutor to allow for a restraining order that would allow her to see him at her request.

“In 24 hours she has dramatically changed her mind and wants a full restraining order,” she said.

“It’s a very, very strange situation that I have not found myself in before. She was so supportive yesterday.

“We cannot get away from the nature of this offence, there was an injury, there was swelling and a nosebleed. It was a head-butt but there were no breakages, it was common assault not an ABH.”

Sentencing him, chairman of the bench Deborah Couzens told him he would face a prison sentence of 12 weeks, suspended for 18 months. During this time he must work with the probation service and complete a number of rehabilitation days.

“We are making this order because custody is the only suitable option and our reasons are the injuries sustained and your attempts to conceal the matter from the authorities,” she said.

She also imposed a restraining order for 12 months, preventing any form of contact, directly or indirectly. Maddison also faces court costs of £620 for the trial and a victim surcharge of £80.