Keith Griffiths was out on licence from a UK prison after serving about five years of a near-11-year jail sentence when he attacked a woman inside and outside Havana nightclub, the Magistrate’s Court heard.
He was yesterday jailed for seven weeks – a sentence he completed while on remand – and has been transferred back to the UK to serve the rest of his jail term related to the kidnapping after he breached the conditions of his licence by committing the offences in Jersey.
The 31-year-old was on holiday in the Island after being released from a ten-year-and-nine-month jail term for being part of a gang who held a woman captive after ramming her car in Walsall on Boxing Day 2015.
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard how the woman tried to drive off but was boxed in and dragged out of the vehicle.
She was then beaten and attacked with a knuckle duster, and at one point the gang said they would tear her apart by tying her to a tree and a car.
The police found the woman the following day at the home of one of the four kidnappers.
Outlining the Jersey offences, advocate Lauren Taylor, prosecuting, said that on 9 October a customer in Havana reported to security that Griffiths had struck a woman in the head with his right elbow and had spat in her face.
He was removed from the club and, while outside, was recorded on CCTV slapping the victim twice in the head and shoving her so that she stumbled.
The court heard he had multiple previous convictions for offences including actual bodily harm, harassment and assault and battery.
Advocate Taylor added: ‘As a result of this offending, the defendant’s licence has been revoked and he is being recalled to prison in the UK.’
Advocate Allana Binnie, defending, said that the victim had suffered no noticeable injuries, and told the court:
‘While this was unpleasant, in my submission the assaults cannot have been very forceful.’
Addressing her client’s background, she added: ‘His parents suffered from alcoholism, and he has a very tragic background. That resulted in him leaving school without any qualifications. He is extremely upset about what happened. He is very remorseful and ashamed.
‘Mr Griffiths’s prison sentence in Jersey can be ended today and transportation back to the UK can take place immediately.’
Assistant Magistrate Peter Harris said: ‘When you are finally released from custody there is nothing to stop you coming back to Jersey.
‘Hopefully, should that arise, you will make sure that nothing like this happens again.’
