A retired police inspector has avoided jail despite beating, kicking and punching his girlfriend during a furious drunken row – and then telling her not to get blood on his white sheets.
Former Met Police officer Paul Bonning, 54, was ordered to pay £2,000 to his former lover for the attack but she said: ‘It makes my blood boil. I do feel angry about it – he gets to walk away from it.’
Bonning attacked his partner after an evening of drinking before hitting her in the head with a knife. He then went to bed, telling his victim not to come up as she would get blood on his sheets.
Former Met Police officer Paul Bonning, 54, escaped jail time after beating, kicking and punching his partner during a furious row – and then telling her not to get blood on his white sheets
Prosecutor Ian Wright said the pair had been out for a Sunday in July 2018 Bonning before returning to his home.
The former inspector downed beer, wine, gin, and whisky before ‘suddenly losing his temper following a comment she made about taking another woman back to his home.
She described how he ‘lost it’ and was ‘frothing at the mouth’ before dragging her off the sofa and repeatedly kicking and punching her to the body.
Mr Wright said Bonning brought a knife from the kitchen to brandished it at her – then struck her on the back of the head.
Bonning told her she needed to go to hospital but he then went to bed, telling her not to join him as he did not want blood on on his white sheets.
Medics questioned her and saw the extent of the bruising on her body they suspected there had been a domestic violence incident and contacted police.
The former inspector downed beer, wine, gin, and whisky before ‘suddenly losing his temper following a comment she made about taking another woman back to his home
Swansea Crown Court heard the woman suffered a 10cm cut on her head.
The woman told officers that Bonning had said he ‘knew people high up in the police force’ and was worried nobody would believe her.
In a victim impact statement she said that the assault had left her questioning everything she once believed in.
The court heard she had hit ‘rock bottom, feeling isolated from family and friends and too ashamed to reach out to them.’
Her self esteem has suffered, she is no longer able to leave the house alone and questions whether she will be able to trust anyone again.
In mitigation, Dean Pulling, said that his client was of previously exemplary character and was ‘in a dark place’ at the time of the assault.
In a victim impact statement read to Swansea Crown Court the woman said that the assault had left her questioning everything she once believed in. Pictured: The injuries she sustained in the attack
Medics questioned her and saw the extent of the bruising on her body they suspected there had been a domestic violence incident and contacted police
Bonning, of Pembroke, West Wales, was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for 18 months.
Judge Mr Recorder Ifan Wyn Lloyd Jones ordered Bonning to pay his victim £2,000 compensation and to pay £720 costs. He must also attend a Building Better Relationships course and a 20 day rehabilitation activity.
After the hearing, the woman has slammed the sentence as a joke – and urged other women in similar situations to speak out and leave the relationship.
She said: ‘It makes my blood boil. I do feel angry about it. He gets to walk away from it.
‘He has admitted what he has done and just been told “never do it to anyone else for 18 months”. It’s like a reward for him.
‘I can understand why victims never come forward and it keeps happening. It’s been years and for what? He still gets to walk around smug.
‘It’s been hell of a journey but whatever the outcome, at least I have closure now and can move on with my life.’
Despite her disappointment at the sentence the woman urged anyone else in a similar situation to speak out and get out of the relationship.
‘It does take a lot of guts and a lot of support to speak out.
‘But I would say “if you are hit once don’t let yourself get hit twice or three times”. This is how it goes on and gets worse.
‘It is so hard. I have always been such a strong person but I have had everything sucked out of me. Everybody else could see it but I didn’t.
‘It starts grinding you down and sucking everything out of you. You think it’s normal after a time.
‘I would say report it and get support. Don’t sit back and blame yourself. Talk to someone, talk to your best mate, and get out of it.’