A MAN with a string of convictions who assaulted the mother of his unborn child read out a letter in court apologising for his actions.

Shaun Hogg, 40, of Gilbert Court, Colchester, admitted to two counts of common assault, the first of which involved pushing Sharne Hughes.

The second assault took place later the same day, when Hogg broke into the address of Lily Lockwell, who was pregnant with his child, before punching her twice.

When the police were called to the incident in Queen Elizabeth Way, Colchester, Hogg then climbed on to the roof of the house leading to a two-hour stand-off with police before he was arrested.

At Ipswich Crown Court Michael Cohen, prosecuting, said: “The defendant was at an address which belongs to the first complainant, Miss Hughes.

“He pushed her over so she fell to the floor. The defendant then went to Miss Lockwell’s premises, and at that address he forced entry through the front door.

“He then punched the victim twice causing injury to her right eye and cheek.”

Mr Cohen continued: “The defendant is a man heavily convicted, and there is a list of his convictions which go over a long period of time and involve many incidents of violence.

“In 2020 he beat an emergency worker and in the September prior to that he resisted or obstructed a constable - there are regular offences over many years in the past.”

Michael Edmond, mitigating, said Hogg was going to use the birth of his child as a turning point.

He said: “I don’t excuse his previous convictions - he is a man who needs to grow up.

“He would like help, he has completed an anger management course in prison, and he is seeking to provide for the family he is shortly to have.

“He totally regrets hurting the mother of his unborn child and there are circumstances that don’t excuse it but explain it.”

Judge David Pugh sentenced Hogg to 12 weeks in prison.

He said: “You are heavily convicted - you have 52 convictions for 101 offences.

“There is significant history of you using violence towards people and property and I consider that to be an aggravating factor.”

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